Hang In There With Me...

Well, one of my worst fears has come to fruition. Our computer crashed and we lost everything. Yes, everything. Pictures included. Luckily, I had some of them backed up and I know that's better than none at all, but still...baby pictures, all of the kids, vacation etc...Out of hundreds of pictures I might have saved about 70 of them. Thank goodness I have a blog. Some of them are right here within the pages of this blog.

Anyway, we're not sure whether to fix it or try to budget for a new one so please hang in there with me while we figure out what to do. I might be MIA for awhile but I have every intention of continuing this blog.

You know what the real kicker is? It was only 1 year and two months old. The warranty just ran out at the end of June.

I'll be back...sooner than later I hope!!

xo and God Bless,

Kathleen

The End of Summer Vacation

Well, another summer vacation comes to a close...the supplies have been purchased and the backpacks are all packed. Lunch boxes are all set and ready to go. Tomorrow is the big day!

I thought I'd do a little post showcasing our summer fun.

We had a good summer vacation and I'm sad to see the kiddos go back to school!


But...
I did find some really cool school supplies...


Take this pencil case for example. Can you read what it says?

Here's a closer look. Isn't it great?

I'm sending them off to public school with this baby. I dare them to send it back home with my kids!

~~~

I double dog dare em'

God Bless and have a great week!

xo, Kathleen

Sunday Blessings

Our oldest son has Down's Syndrome and is such an amazing blessing to us. He has taught us to love on a deeper level and I have discovered patience that I never knew I had. We are honored and thankful that God chose us to be his parents. Not too long ago, someone gave us this beautiful poem and I wanted to share it with you today for Sunday's post. There is no author's name given, it's just printed on a laminated card. The back however does read: Published by Tim Tiley Ltd. in Great Britain

~~~~~

HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held quite far from earth

"It's time again for another birth"

Said the angels to the Lord above

This special child will need much love.

His progress may be very slow.

Accomplishments he may not show

And he'll require extra care

From the folks he meets down there.

He may not run, or laugh or play

His thoughts may seem quite far away.

In many ways he won't adapt

And he'll be known as handicapped.

So let's be careful where he's sent,

We want his life to be content.

Please Lord find the person who

Will do this special job for you.

They may not realize straight away

The learning role they're asked to play,

But with this child sent from above

Comes stronger faith and richer love,

And soon they'll know the privilege given

Their precious child so meek and mild

is HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.

Happy Sunday

xo,

Kathleen

Saturday Happenings

It's a bit overcast today, almost feels like the beginnings of fall. Although, I'm certainly glad we still have lots of summer left!!

I decided to do a bit of rearranging today. I moved a few things around and did a little something new in the entry hall.
My favorite old, chippy gravy boat serves well as a landing spot for cell phones and keys.

Then I baked some bread

And now, I must run to get ready for Saturday evening Mass!

God Bless and enjoy your weekend!

xo,

Kathleen

DIY Chalkboard

Do you remember this picture that I had hanging above the sofa? Well, I was needing a change. I like the picture and all...but I wanted it to be a chalkboard even more than I wanted it to be a picture.

So here is what I did...

First, I took apart the picture and then separated all of the pieces.

{Please pay no attention to the vacuum, cords and the childrens toys

lying about here and there - just keepin' it real people!}Anyway, see that brown cardboard piece there on the right?

Here it is up close. I painted it with chalkboard paint.

Yes, right over the cardboard. Then I simply switched the order of the pieces when re-assembling my frame. The cardboard piece was just the filler piece that goes in the back. I put it in the front and then used the print in it's place. Have I explained that right or do I sound totally run-on and confusing? Sorry, It's been such a long day and it's late - I know you can relate! Anyway, I digress. By doing it this way, if I ever want my picture back, all I have to do is put it back in it's original order. No harm done.

So here it is

all decked out with our "house rules"

~~~

Hope you all are enjoying your week!

xo and God Bless,

Kathleen

~~

I have to make a correction. My spelling skilz are shining through. You see rule #7 up there? Yes, well instead of say "your" sorry, it should read: Say "you're" sorry. I guess I got so excited about the project all coming together, the chalk started to fly and well, my skilz went out the window. I corrected it on the chalkboard too.

~~

I'm linking up with Show and Tell Friday over at My Romantic Home

be sure to head over there to check out all of the really cool show and tell projects.

Enjoy!!

From Barn Sale to the Table in 3 Years

Hmmm...can you guess what it is?

What did I buy 3 years ago at a barn sale that I just finished up and can now pull up to the table?



Give up?



YES!! A high chair.



I bought this at a barn sale when our 3 year old was a baby. It was nasty old wood and I knew it would be just perfect all painted and pretty. But, as life goes along at it's fast little pace, stuff comes up, you get busy and projects don't always get finished as planned. We ended up using one of those plastic thingy's that attaches to a chair and this lovely chair was relegated to the garage.

We even almost got rid of it about 2 years ago. I'm so glad we didn't though. Anyway, I had almost forgotten about it but then found it again. I decided right then and there that it must be finished. No more putting it off. I AM going to use this chair.

So I pulled out the paint and brushes and got to work. First I painted the whole chair in a nice, creamy shade of white. Rustoleum brand in Ivory Satin to be exact. When it dried, I dry brushed a black glaze over the whole thing, working in small areas at a time. Immediately after brushing it on, I wiped the glaze off with a clean paper towel.

This filled in all of the detailed areas nicely.

I just mixed a little of this black paint with water and made my own glaze - nothing fancy!

After all of that dried, I went over it again with a blue/gray shade of glaze. Worked it into all of the cracks and crevices, wiped it all off and then let that dry.

For the second coat of glaze, I used this color above. It was left over from our living room that I just finished painting. It's called Comfort Gray by Sherwin Williams. Can I just tell you how much I LOVE this color?!! It is the most perfect shade of blue/gray I have ever seen. EVAHH!!
I had it mixed at Lowes.

So anyway, after all of the coats of paint dried, I decided to get fancy. You know I can't get enough of grain sacks, old numbers, pretty lettering anything and everything classic and French. I'm obsessed with numbers lately. Obsessed. So I decided that I must have a number printed on the tray of the high chair. But you know me, I want results quickly. I didn't want to waste time trying to figure out how to make my own stencil and my printer is broken so I couldn't print fancy numbers to trace. Long story short, my son said, "why don't you just write it on there." Okay, sounds simple enough, right? Why not? What's the worst that can happen? I mess it up and paint over it. So free hand it is. I found my super thin brush and the bottle of black paint and did my best. I painted a number on the tray. But not just any number...

No. 225

Yes, 225 - that's Abigail's birthday - Feb 25 ~~ 2-25

did I mention I'm loving numbers?

Now, I'm definitely not an artist and the numbers are a bit crooked but if they were all even and perfectly spaced, it wouldn't look old and authentic now would it?

Besides, this is the one I aim to please...

Does she like it?? Hmmm...

I think she does...

Oh I think that's a YES!!

~~~

xo and God Bless,

Kathleen

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm linking up with Between Naps on the Porch

and The DIY Showoff

Sunday Blessings

...And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." "...do this, and you will live."

Luke 10:27-28

Sunday Blessings

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews 13:2