my blessed life

This month has flown by! It must have gone by somewhere in the whirl of cardboard boxes and freshly painted walls. I really thought I would be further along in the settling-in process that I am. This has been on of my rougher unpacking episodes. I think it had something to do with doing some remodeling right at the beginning, plus starting to paint right away, plus the unbelievable disorganized mess of our boxes in the garage..ha Slowly, but surely I'm getting there though. Thank goodness! I still have a very long punch list of things we want to do to this house though. I thought I'd share them with you...in no particular order: paint the master bedroom walls paint the kids' bedrooms paint The Princess' bedroom furniture paint some of Mr. B's bedroom furniture paint the hall bathroom walls paint the hall bathroom vanity paint the kitchen walls paint the kitchen cabinets paint the hall light fixtures paint the *new* hutch for the kitchen sand/stain/pa...

Hey, Y'all! I'm out of the house for a couple of hours today to run errands and get some wifi at our local Starbucks:) It's been a crazy week of moving here! And I've been missing blogland. You can only do so much on a phone and a tablet...ha We've been in our *new* house for a week now~well, sleeping there for the past 3 nights, the rest were in a hotel~and we're busy digging out of boxes. Right now it seems like an endless task, but I know there will be an end. We've also started doing some painting and today Vince is starting that project for the learning room that he's been dying to do. Yea!! I'm sorry I can't post any pictures today, but as it turns out the usb cord wasn't in Vince's laptop bag after all. Oh well, we should have internet at the house within a day or so and then there will be LOTS of pictures! I've already taken lots of *before* pics:) And that's my little update: moving, closing on our n...

It's here~moving weekend! I've been packing furiously while Vince has been in the Philippines this past week. Now he's back and ready to roll (well, except for that jet lag thing...). Jet lag or not though, we've got to start loading today . We've got two truck loads to take, the final one on Monday when we head for Kentucky for good. I can't believe it's almost here! I'm very excited! However, it's going to be super busy for a day...or six! So I'll see you on the flip side:)

If you've been around here lately then you probably already know we're moving. And I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. On any day it is utterly exhausting to pack up your whole house, but when the temperatures are triple digits...well, let's just say I'm ready to adopt the tradition of siestas into our American culture! We actually have about 60-70% of things already packed, so we're coming along. It's hard to know what to leave out until the last minute~especially those kitchen items. Although I haven't been doing too much cooking lately. It's just so un-motivating when your house is a wreck. I'm trying to keep it simple. I'm also packing The Princess for her first trip to summer camp with our church. I can hardly believe this day is here! She's only 8! They attend the most amazing camp though~ Dry Gulch, U.S.A . in Oklahoma. She won't even have time to miss me, she'll be having so much fun. I'm so happy that she has t...

We have been on a selling frenzy around here lately! I think my husband would sell every stitch of our furniture if I would let him, just so he wouldn't have to move it again . Unfortunately for him, I'm kind of attached to some of it. But there was plenty I've been willing to part with. So we decided to have a big yard sale! The kiddos were set on having a lemonade stand and I baked my favorite chocolate chip cookies for them to sell also~who can resist a cookie, right? Then you've gotta buy some lemonade to go with it, don't you? Yeah, we're all about the marketing and suggestive selling here:) We got busy that weekend! We decided we were only up for a one-day sale, especially in this horrible summer heat, but we started setting up on Friday. I think we almost made more sales on Friday than we did on Saturday! The people just kept popping by as we were setting up~it was a great day. On Saturday we were up bright and early (me, with a big cup of ha...

I'm sure some of you have been wondering about me lately, what with my sporadic and random postings (at least that's what it feels like to me) and there being absolutely no mention of decorating the house we recently moved into. That's because I really haven't been decorating and we still have boxes sitting around. And I'll tell you why... When we signed the lease on this house in March we had to sign for a year, but we thought that would be okay because we thought we would likely be here most of that time if not the entirety. However, God had some different plans for us. And they began to reveal themselves within 2 weeks of moving into this house. (Thus my complete lack of motivation to unpack more boxes!). To make a somewhat lengthy story short, God has opened up a wonderful ministry opportunity for our family! We have been asked to be~and it is now confirmed just this past weekend that we will be~the next pastors of Christ Community Church in Hopkinsville...

I missed y'all! :) It has been a crazy couple of weeks and my routine is all shook up! As some of you know, we were supposed to move on April 1st but were delayed until the 4th. And even though we began moving on the 4th we weren't actually able to spend our first night in our house until the 10th due to some work still being done inside the house. Then we left on an already-planned trip on the 15th, came home for one night on the 18th, then left for an overnight anniversary trip, just getting home today. So it's been a long process and there are still a lot of boxes to go. But I'm having fun putting it all together. Each house is SO different, you have to rework things in completely different areas. I like that it makes be creative with what I have. I'm looking forward to sharing some of our recent projects with you soon! I am especially happy to be getting my {new} kitchen all put together, too! Not having my kitchen is almost like being without an...

(Yes, I've had that tune running through my head lately!) Although I enjoy crashing at night on our {brand new!} mattress!! But look! You can actually see the floor in the photo above. And there are really books on the shelves!! As opposed to the photo I showed you the other day . Now, don't ask me if the books are organized or on the right shelf. But at least they're out of boxes, right?! The boxes are disappearing slowly, but surely. At least I can find clothes to wear now. The first morning in it was questionable:) We haven't gotten our internet hooked up yet (so I'm blogging this from my parents house while I take care of my gray roots...multitasking at it's best!), but we will very soon and I'll be back here on a regular basis. While I'm not a big fan of the moving process, it does bring blogging fodder with it! I'm sorry that I haven't been able to visit anyone's blog very often lately, but I promise I will asap! In the meantime,...

...I'm busy unpacking. I'll *see* you soon though!!

(my parents' dogwoods) Moving into our {new} house, that is. I'm already exhausted just looking at all of those boxes. BUT I'm very happy to be getting settled again! We just got a couple of big loads delivered today, but we aren't staying overnight yet. Our landlords need to come back tomorrow to finish up some things like paint touch-ups, a ceiling fan, etc., before we can really unpack and set up house. I felt a little at a loss today wishing I could start putting shelf liner in the kitchen cabinets ...or some thing... but there was too much *repair* work going on to really start any thing. So we just got the big pieces of furniture mostly in place and most of the boxes sorted to the correct rooms. There's a lot to do. And I've got a deadline for the majority of the unpacking: I'm scheduled to host the *moms nite out* for our homeschool group at the end of this month. So...I basically have 3 weeks to get a whole lot done at the house! (Did I mentio...

I have put this post off as long as possible because I've just not been ready to talk about it. But since blogging is therapeutic for me in general I'll probably feel lots better after sorting through all of these thoughts. From the title of this post you may have guessed it. Yep, we're moving. Again. I am becoming quite the expert in packing up our household. Not a talent I was ever hoping to develop. Actually this time around Vince has been doing most of the packing and I am eternally grateful. You may remember that back in June I mentioned that the owners of the house we were renting had decided to put the house on the market. Well, there has not been one single showing of the house since it was listed. So while this was very beneficial to us it wasn't so great for the homeowners. They have decided to move back to this area and back into this house. Which isn't so great for us. I must admit I have really struggled this time around to have a po...

I know I haven't been the best blogger lately. Going on too many trips, swamped with all the packing and unpacking. Desperately trying to keep the house kept up. And there's been a lot on my mind. Some of you may remember that we moved back to Arkansas just a year ago this month. This is the first house that we have lived in that we haven't owned. Other than renting an apartment for the first two years of our marriage, we have always owned our houses. So this year has definitely felt different. It has been good though, the house has worked well for us and our landlord has been wonderful. We had been hoping to be able to lease for one more year, but now that's not looking so promising. Our landlord has decided to sell this house as soon as he can and although we have the option to buy that's not what we want to do~or can do~right now. The past two years have been such mixture of experiences, emotions, challenges... Through it all God has been utterly and ...

I think all of these boxes are starting to get to me. We are making tons of progress though. I promise to have some pictures for you soon! Today I worked more on unpacking and getting decor up. I'm still looking for stuff I can't find~despite my fairly well-doctumented packing list. I'm a little embarassed to say that it totalled 414 boxes. There were lots of little boxes in there though!! Seriously, how does a family of four have that much stuff?! I am really the queen of the keepsake~I admit it! Here are some packing list fun facts for you: Some people think I'm really weird for numbering and listing my boxes. I thought everybody did that! I mean, how do you know you got everything after the move?! I had 66 boxes of kitchen things. This number does include both dishes and pantry items. We had 43 boxes of books. Yes, we like to read! The Christmas boxes came in for a total of 38. I {heart} Christmas! Today Vince worked on that front bed of weeds. He is literally diggin...

I am really missing some regular routine these days. It won't be long though...things are slowly, but surely getting unpacked. And we plan to actually have a refrigerator by Wednesday. That will probably speed up the menu planning process, don't you think?! Did I mention that the people who bought our house in Alabama also wanted the fridge? Well, they did and we said "yes". It all worked out for the best though because our old one wouldn't have worked in our new house anyway. And I get a bigger one~yea!! Next: a deep freeze! Then I'll really be out-of-control with the menu planning-ha! And...in the spirit of keepin' it real, I thought I'd post some pics of what my new house currently looks like. Inspiring, isn't it? This is why I haven't had time to blog and, oh, how I've missed it!! It's getting better though. One by one, I'm tossing those boxes out the door!

Well, it's over. At least the moving part. Well, almost the moving part. Vince is coming with the final load today. But I got here yesterday! I seriously thought the packing would never end. I mean, who know we had so much.... ahem .....stuff. By Tuesday night when I finally crashed in a hotel bed after midnight I could no longer feel my feet~they were just numb! I wish you could have seen me today, driving our pickup truck with a backseat full of 13 potted plants: 2 houseplants, 1 pot of flowers and 10 tomato and pepper plants. It was like a garden nursery in there! They seem to have fared well on the trip and I really do hope so because they have been doing great. There are the cutest little tomatoes and peppers growing all over them. (On a sidenote: I'd love to know what you recommend for an organic/all-natural pest control for the veggie plants. Please tell me!) I am so ready to get crackin' on the unpacking now! My sweet mom went over to the house this...

We just got home tonight from our very-short-but-very-fun trip to Orange Beach, AL. I thought I'd share a few shots with you quickly~and more later. The next few days are going to be VERY busy and my time on the computer will be sporadic. But I'll be back regularly very soon! We only have 4 more days in Alabama, then we're back in Arkansas. Woo Pig Sooie!!!

I thought I'd share this lovely photo of my living/dining room~well, at least it's mine for 9 more days. Isn't that the *picture* of organization? heehee You'll be relieved to know that this photo does not reflect on the true organization of this moving process:) I actually have a lovely list all typed up on the computer and each box has a designated number. It has been an incredibly busy week. Which is why I've fallen off the face of blogland for several days. Apparently I'm not one of those people who can simultaneously pack, do laundry, take care of kiddos, try to maintain some semblance of order in the dismantled home and blog all at the same time. { sigh } Thankfully my sister has been here all week helping me pack. She's an angel! So glad to have her here. We've had some fun, too. We've collapsed a few times from too much packing and watched some great *girl* movies: Persuasion and The Women (the original version). Plus tonight she, Vin...

( New Year's Eve 1985) I've had photos on the brain these past couple of days. Old photos, to be specific. Photos of me and my friends growing up, to be even more specific. All of my friends on Facebook are probably madly searching for revenge photos to post in response to the ones I've posted lately. heehee (at Evangel University 1990) I've only been on Facebook for a few months now, but have reconnected with so many friends from my much younger years. Friends from elementary, jr. high and high school. Friends from youth camp and college. Friends from around the world, some of whom I haven't seen in years and years. (with friends in Ohio 1998) Yesterday as I was starting to pack up my photo albums I decided to take the opportunity to scan some fun old photos of myself and friends to share with them on Facebook. It started quite the online conversation between friends across the nation. Very fun! (a lifelong best friend, Kathy, in 1987) It is amazing to me how the...

I don't know about where you live, but here in the South it has been raining. A lot . And not just here in Alabama~it rained nearly every single day we were in Arkansas, too! So, needless to say, everything is VERY GREEN everywhere. It does look so pretty, except when you need to mow and it's so soggy that you sink in the lawn! Or when the kids are bouncing off the walls and you really need to send them outside. Immediately. Oh well, I'm not really complaining because it'll be hot and dry soon and we'll be rationing water. Amazing how fast that can happen. I was so excited to see how my *patio garden* was doing after being gone for a couple of weeks. Between our friend Britt and all of the rain, they are doing wonderfully! I'm so proud:) I just had to show them off. Look at that tiny little green tomato growing! Isn't it just so cute?! I just love it:) There are little blooms and even more teeny, tiny green tomatoes growing on all of the plants. The sweet pe...

Yea! I'm happy to be menu planning again this week. I've actually missed it a little these past couple of weeks, it's become so routine for me. As some of you may have read this past week, we have sold our house here in Florence, AL ( yea!! ) and will be moving back to our hometown area in Arkansas at the first of June. So it's going to be a busy month around here! That also means I need to start cleaning out the kitchen. My goal is to plan all my meals straight from the freezer and pantry. Less to move!! So here we go... Monday: Creamy garden spaghetti Tuesday: Lexington-style grilled chicken , red/white/blue salad , roasted asparagus Wednesday: Spaghetti & meatballs Thursday: Macaroni & cheese , green beans, carrots Friday: Homemade pizza Saturday: BBQ sandwiches and French fries Sunday: TBD I'd love to hear what you've got planned for this dinner this week, too! If you need some ideas, be sure to visit Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie ...