(Almost) One Word Wednesday

DENMARK

( My Madison was thrilled to find this section in the local grocery shop!)

And...If you would like to see more of this beautiful country through the eyes of my Madison, please visit her lovely new blog here.



My Mocha

Who knew I was a dog person? Not me, certainly. But sometimes God puts something in your heart and you just hear it. And you realize that God knows you better than you know yourself. Mocha is a part of our family that I didn't even know was missing. I can't imagine life without her. She loves to snuggle with me on the sofa. She loves to sit on my lap in the car. She makes us all laugh with her antics. She follows our older dog Kirby around everywhere. Plus...she doesn't shed. I mean, how perfect is that? If you would have asked me years ago if tonight I would be sharing my bed with not one, but two dogs...I would have never believed you. Good thing I'm not in charge. : )

We refer to Mocha as my therapy dog.

And I suppose she is.

She calms my anxiety.

She fills our home with love.

And fun.

And what better gift is that, when all she asks for in return is food and warmth and love?

Random Photo Friday

Summer is winding down here, and we are slowly beginning to notice. The evenings come sooner. The vibrant greens are fading. The sidewalk chalk is broken, and the bubble container is almost empty. Oh. And football is back on my television. Yep, summer is ending. We have a few more lazy weeks before we resume school. But I'm getting excited for a brand new start! Here are a few pictures of the week that was in our country home.

I have a wonderful neighbor named Charley. A few times a week, I open my door and find fresh vegetables from his garden. The zucchini are wonderful for chocolate cake...

And the best lasagna ever. Charley said so. ; )

Mocha. Because. Who doesn't love a picture of a puppy peeking out from underneath a dresser?

Me and my baby.

When seasons collide in a candy dish.

We are enjoying the summer afternoons with a daily walk...

And on this day, were happy to make it home before the storm rolled in.

My people. And Flynn's very first Steeler game.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends.

Whatever you and your people are up to. : )

I Love Shopping...In My Own Home

If you know me, you know I have a strong aversion to shopping. I get anxiety just thinking about going to a mall. Thus, I have become quite good at two other types of purchasing items: Internet Shopping...sorry Steve!...and shopping in my own home. What in the world is that? I'm glad you asked! Shopping in my own home is simply looking for things I already own to serve a new purpose in a different place. Let me give you an example.

We are beginning our fourth year of homeschooling. We homeschool in our little classroom which is set up in our former dining room. (Mind you, the following took me four years to figure out.) Anyway, I have never been a fan of the light we selected to hang above our kitchen table. It put off minimal light, and was just a bit bulky. I began to envision a black chandelier there instead. I scoured magazines and websites for the perfect one. I knew exactly what I wanted, and needed to find one I could present to Steve that would pass the financial test. ; ) I looked and looked. I just couldn't find what I was looking for. And then. You guessed it...One day I walked passed the schoolroom...and there...still hanging...was the black chandelier that had hung above our dining room table!!!!!  Needless to say I was thrilled! What business does a black chandelier have hanging in a schoolroom anyway, when there is a perfectly good kitchen table in need of its services???

In mere days, that chandelier was hung in the kitchen, and the Heavens rejoiced! Ok, maybe not, but it sure seemed like it with all the light it put off. Steve replaced it with a simple ceiling light in the schoolroom and we-meaning-I were happy again.

Doesn't it look like it just belongs?

Looks like new. Actually eleven years old.

Perfect. : )

And if you notice something that actually is new...that hutch in the background was a surprise from my hubby! We have had the buffet forever, and I found the matching hutch online one day and he promptly brought it home for me. Yay Steve!

I filled it with items from another in-home shopping spree!

I gathered items from around the kitchen area, and after a few minutes hours of rearranging, I was all set.

Tara, a spot for my teacups!

And finally, a spot for my baby plates. : )

And there you have it. My tips on making your home look completely different without spending a ton of money...use what you already have, and add a few new things to spruce it up.

Yes. I did splurge and get new placemats. Note to self: Refrain from washing light tan placemats with red dishcloths. ; )

Enjoy the rest of your week, my friends.