day 1

In my previous post on cleaning my kitchen counter. I linked to the 21-day challenge.
I am sure I will not strictly stick to it. For instance day one, was to be the "junk drawer". I have one and it probably needs cleaned/decluttered but this was bugging my way more.

So that it what I did. :) It tends to be a catch all spot. Whenever I don't know what to do with something, I pile it there.

Tomorrow is to be the computer desk. I shudder at the thought. It has months worth of the mister's mail piled upon it. I am in need of a brilliant way of organizing mail that does not belong to me...hmmmmmm

the highlights :)

Here is the video I made of our camping trip. :)

home sweet home

This week we have been on a camping excursion. Me, the Mister, our three offspring, my father in law and our nephew. It was fun, mostly.

I love campfires, s'mores, being outside and enjoying God's beautiful world.

I did not so much enjoy being awake most of Wednesday night listening to the wind gust, seeing lightening flash and light up the world outside our little tent. I spent most of the night praying as the tent walls shuddered around me. Please protect us Lord. Don't let the tent collapse and please don't let any tree's fall on us!! My prayers were answered. And with each breath I praised Him we were still alive while continuing to implore Him for ongoing safety. I felt slightly better when the Mister poked his head in our tent to check on us girls. Assuring us it wasn't has bad as it sounded (I think he lied but at the time it made me breathe a little easier). Hannah slept soundly though the whole thing, shockingly. We has trekked to Enchanted Forest Water Safari that day and she was plumb wore out. Even the raging storm didn't rouse her, for which I am thankful.

God is good and by lunch time the next day the sun had returned. I greeted it like an old friend. So thankful to see blue skies peaking through the clouds again!

I have a video in progress which I will post soon to share some more of the highlights of our trip. But for now I am glad to be home. And soon to be headed to my nice, soft, comfy bed.

baby steps

So the other day I happened upon this challenge via pinterest. I intend to do it in earnest when we return from camping. Looking around my home it is desperate need of some decluttering and organization.



Today as I was baking and cleaning my kitchen I decided to get a jump start and clean out the corner of the counter. It was become increasingly stuffed with partially eaten bags of chips, misc recipes, potholders, dish towels....

Here is the after...sorry I forgot to take the before pic, but it was BAD!!



And just because i love them, and they match my kitchen and I can see them from my kitchen window directly next to the newly cleaned counter space. A picture of my sunflowers I took this morning. :)

take me out to the ball game

Friday night we took advantage of free tickets to the see the local baseball team play. We went early to tailgate with a few of the Mr's coworkers. Later we met up with Mimi and Papa and Poppi. During the game we munched on cotton candy, popcorn and ice cream sandwiches.

It is the first time we stayed for the duration of the game. But the fireworks afterwords enticed us. ;) It was the first fireworks display we had seen this year.

a

thankful

Source: etsy.com via Amy on Pinterest

I saw this on pinterest the other day. I woke with it on my mind today. There are so many little things we take for granted every single day. There are so many things I am thankful for. Little things big things. I am thankful for our house, our health, the sunflowers in the backyard, my kids, each darling kidlet in my vbs class, my pooch, my husband, my family, my Housewives, my van, my backyard, our deck, the beach, Jesus who we learned yesterday always loves and forgives us ;), our church,...the list could go on and on and on....what gifts are you thankful for day?

marvelous

Source: lostateminor.com via Amy on Pinterest

I was just perusing some of my favorite blogs...ya know pretty much procrastinating doing anything I should be doing...like cleaning the kitchen. I came across a link to this photo...Sand magnified 250 times. Pretty cool eh? The blog author stating how much fun God must have had when creating this. I would have to agree.

I called Ryan over to check it out. My scientifically minded little guy launched into an explanation of why sand would look like that. "Because sand is actually seashells broken up into tiny pieces."

i dare you

I received the book, One Thousand Gifts for my birthday from my Mom and Dad. It was not a book I had asked for. I had just looked at it online and read the first preview chapter. It intrigued me when I read it and thought about adding it to my "wishlist" but had not done it yet. Not really believing in things like coincidences I found it incredible that Mom just happened to give it to me for my birthday. :)

Ever since I began the book I thought of starting my own list of 1000 gifts....I have jotted down a couple things...one that made me chuckle was my eldest daughter laughingly bandaging my cut finger. Not many gifts have yet made it from my heart to my pen and paper. But I have become more aware of the Gifts all around me.

For instance allowing Ryan and Hannah to run and dance and splash in the pouring rain on Friday night. I have never really given in to that sort of thing. It was always easier to make them stay in where it was warm and dry. But the complete and utter delight on their faces made me realize I was wrong...these are the things childhood are made of....these are the gifts, the moments that disappear all to fast....the moments to treasure.

Yesterday at our Bible Study, the topic came up again. We decided to start a group journal, online. We decided to make it open so others can view our posts and hopefully be inspired and perhaps even add to our list. Our group is via Facebook, click HERE to visit it :)

I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34:1-3 niv