Sunday (and Saturday) Snapshots: A Grand Weekend!

The 3rd Annual Grand Weekend was full of smiles and cuddles, snacks and costumes, science and computer screens. Gavin (11), Maddie (9), Owen (7), Benjamin (5), and Alaine (3) arrived just before supper on Friday night, and the fun began! 

Here are a few peeks...

T-U-G...

(Wonder who's on the other end?)

Papa!!

We think perhaps the hopscotch grid was a bit small. Hobbit hopscotch?

No matter. They had a great time hopping!

Yikes!! The boy is horizontal!!

(A Gran must turn her head.)

I took orders for sandwiches: peanut butter, turkey, or salami.

Each child places their order.

Ben: What about side dishes?

Gran (grinning): Sides are either grapes or carrots. 

An edible science experiment.

(More about that in a later post.)

Another outdoor meal on Sunday, this time with their parents joining.

Real summer fare: hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the grill, baked beans, heaps of corn-on-the-cob!

The 3rd Annual Grand Weekend flew by!

{1st Annual Grand Weekend}

{2nd Annual Grand Weekend}

Updating the Master Bedroom

photo by Bekah

Last week, we painted the master bedroom.

We had done our last update nine years ago, right after our son Ryan got married. Ron had replaced old ugly ceiling tiles with wallboard, we had stripped wallpaper, and bought new bedding. Then we painted the walls a pale taupe, and the trim white.

I liked the look initially, but it wasn't "me." All the other rooms in the farmhouse have off-white walls , and the trim is painted some colonial color. (If you peek at my Pinterest board "I Could Live Here," you'll see the pattern!)

So when we decided to make our bedroom a little more of a retreat, and Ron said that we could paint the room, I knew exactly what I was going to do. We went from tan walls and white trim, to white walls and tan trim. Aren't we just two crazy kids?! 

We used Behr's Swiss Coffee for the walls. For the trim, we also used Behr paint, but had it color matched to duplicate the color we have in the living room, which originally was color matched from an Olde Century Paint color that I think was Linen White. I love this color, a non-yellowish tan which serves as a neutral, but is a definite color. (Did that make sense?)

Of course, undoing the room in order to paint provides the perfect opportunity to make other changes! (Right, ladies?)

Over the years, I have decorated the master bedroom based on what was available or things that were given to me. At one point, my great-aunt had given me an antique wash bowl and pitcher set. It is a fabulous family piece, and includes, not only the wash bowl and pitcher, but the cold water pitcher, soap dish, and chamber pot. It is decorated with yellow and pinkish-purple flowers and has gold accents. The only problem is that I am not drawn to those colors (for my home) and never use them in my decorating. After many years (and dreadful wallpaper chosen to go with the set...but didn't quite), I decided that I would pack away the wash bowl and pitcher and save it for another family member who would one day love it!

This time around, not only am I not going to follow the trend in choosing paint colors, I am not going to decorate around anything that I do not love. 

That doesn't mean that everything in my room is my ideal. I am on the lookout for a bedside table that could also serve as a desk to replace the nightstand. I am also keeping my eyes out for an armoire to replace the large bureau. I think a taller piece would have the same storage but with less width, opening up the space. I'd not say no to an antique chest of drawers to replace the stock one that is there now. No hurry. There is nothing wrong with the pieces I have now (except that my taste has changed), and so I can patiently wait until the right thing (at the right price) comes along, if ever.

But what it does mean, is that any choices I make will be things that I love. No more hanging a picture in my bedroom just because it doesn't go anywhere else. No more lovely white Martha Stewart bedskirt that I bought on clearance but it just isn't me. No more decorating around stuff that is the wrong color or the wrong style or just "meh."

(I feel compelled to add that there is nothing at all wrong with making do. I have done it for years! Sometimes the budget or circumstances dictate that you make do with things that you don't love. Thank God for His provisions and be content! I am speaking as one who has learned this lesson. And now, after thirty-five-plus years of making a home, I know my style, and am simply making choices to eliminate what doesn't fit and wait for what does.)

How about a little tour of the "new" room? 

We'll start with the "before" (tan walls, white trim, and a few things that didn't make the cut), and then move counterclockwise around the room from the door.

photo by my friend Frances

photo by Bekah

photo by Bekah

photo by Bekah

photo by Bekah

~ childhood photos of Ron and me ~

What about you? Do you know your style? Do you love everything in your home? Are you willing to make do until the right thing comes along? 

Let's talk decorating!

Linking with Joanne at My Not-So-Empty Nest for 

Make it NEW Monday!

What We Were Up To...

We packed a lot into last week when Ron was on vacation. He doesn't usually take time off during the summer, so this was our last push to get some things checked off of our list. 

There were projects...

Ron finished this little garden bench.

We did some yard work

and planted annuals in containers for the front of the farmhouse...

and in the back.

We finished the umbrella stand.

Our whole crew painted the master bedroom.

In between projects, we took a little trip.

Bekah performed in her spring piano recital.

"Canon in D" by Johann Pachelbel

We tried some new recipes...

...and because the weather was nearly perfect, we enjoyed some al fresco dining. (Okay, some sipping too. Starbucks was having "Happy Hour" last week!) 

We even took a little time out for playing!

Do you find that you need a rest after some vacations? :)

I'll be happy to supply you with more project details, but I thought this post was long enough!

Sunday Snapshots: Gifts

So many times when the children or grandchildren give Ron a gift for his birthday or for Christmas or for Father's Day, he says this: "You don't have to give me anything. The best gift I could have is you."

He is right, you know. 

And from day's beginning to day's end, Mother's Day was filled with wonderful gifts. 

The gift of time and self-sacrifice. 

Because of a recipe fail on Saturday night, Ron made a Sunday morning run to fetch more ingredients. (It is typical of him to do such things for me.) He returned, not only with my two boxes of strawberry gelatin, but with a dozen red roses. 

The gift of voices across the miles.

Any mother/grandmother who has loved ones far away knows just what a gift it is to hear those voices. Melts. your. heart. 

The gift of my mom. 

As more and more of my friends have lost one or both parents, I am aware of how blessed I am to have mine. My mom was a young first-time mother, so she's younger than many of the moms of my age mates, but none of us is guaranteed another day and time is fleeting at best and it is wise to treasure our time. 

Because sickness is coming and going and coming again, Mom did not come into our quarantined house yesterday, but she came up and brought food and took home food and brought gifts and took home gifts, and while she was here, we had some quick photo shoots. Mom was even in the mood to pose yesterday and Kati snapped some fun shots which I love! 

Mom and I dressed alike...totally unplanned, but we do it often.

The gift of my children.

As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a mother. After the joy of the Lord, and the joy of being Ron's wife, the joy of my life is my children. I delight in being their mother. 

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Of course, Ryan was one of the voices on the telephone, but I was with all of my girls yesterday. 

Seated: Kati, Bekah, and Kristin

From Kati

I must add here that I consider my son-in-law and my daughter-in-law also to be priceless gifts,  even though they came to me a little later. 

The gift of grandchildren.
Five nearby, three faraway...all loved with all my heart.

Kristin with her five

I could name more, but I'll end the enumeration of my gifts with this thoughtful gift from Kristin and her family. She got right into my brain, right into my heart, didn't she? 

She printed and framed the word art that I had created for my CeLeBRaTe!! series, and now I will display it in a prominent place in our home. 

I have been given much. By His grace...