the garden

this is our first garden, wanted to plant one for so long... so this year we have 9 summer squash plants thriving and 17 tomato plants! i told dfl, who helped get it started, that was a lot. he assured me not all the plants would make it. ha!

squash anyone?

my sweet little squash

my first ripe tomato

gettin' crafty: wardrobe refashion

i have taken up a challenge to reduce, reuse, and save a little cash by refashioning old clothes i already have or that i pick up at thrift stores. i will be signing my official pledge for 2 months of clothes refashioning mid august. for 2 months starting sept. 1 i will refashion my wardrobe and make no new purchases.

i'm cheating just a little in that i am starting my refashioning projects now so that a: they will be ready to start the school year and b: because i have time now and won't later.

picked this dress up at helping hands. it is a classic "grandma" dress, but the print is a watercolor style flower that is everywhere right now.
shortened it, took the top off, and made a sash for the waist.

option 2: wear a long top pulled over waist.

find out more about wardrobe refashioning at www.wardroberefashion.net

mmm...berries

the wild blackberries are finally starting to ripen. boy and i went out to the pasture behind the house, where the official wild berry patch is, and picked us some blackberries. there weren't many ripe and boy was eating them as fast as i could pick.

i think it's safe to say he liked them.

it's just not summer until you've had some wild blackberries.

table refashion: after

after

i think it should sell pretty quickly.

table refashion

before

working on stuff for the flea market (The Chicken Coop). refashioned this little kitchen table and chairs, turned out super cute! i love the colors.

nine months later

so nine months later i decide i better pick this back up.
i find myself very busy,
enjoying life,
enjoying motherhood,
thinking one more would be great (maybe this time next year?),
reading up on how to stay at home,
researching every work from home gimmick out there (i've decided the only way to make that work is to use your God given talents to become self-employed),
trying to be a better bugeter (using Mvelopes from Crown Financial),
diving into the world of refashioning (will be taking the 2 month challenge in September),
started running 5ks (training with the Couch 2 5K free podcast)

do you ever try to fix everything about you all at once? does it ever work? i find myself always taking a step forward only to tumble back down the hill.

enjoying the morning

it is quite chilly this morning... we were up before dawn

as the sun came up it lit up the pasture behind the house. frost twinkled in the bright morning light, turning the grass a warm golden orange. and there stood a beautiful doe and her yearling. we have been watching them eat as they slowly made their way back toward the woods, and it is a sweet reminder that we serve an amazing Creator who loves us.

this has been a really tough week, as i went back to work and we adjusted to going to a sitter and spending our days apart. a beautiful quiet morning with my son is just what i needed.