Keepin' It Real: Everyone Can Share Something

OK, so it's not nearly as bad as, say, my laundry room...but Terry at Ornaments of Grace is helping us Keep It Real in the blog world today. Hop on over and see her post. Thanks, Terry. It really is a strange sort of encouragement to see that we all have work to do.



Ladies, I need a sidebar button for this Keepin' It Real thing...can anyone help me?

The Idiot's Guide to Duvet Covers or Visual Learners 101

So, I mentioned that I finished Sweetheart's duvet cover, right? I wanted to re-do her room about a year ago. We were both tired of the purple princess comforter and matching bedding that had been given to us for free by a sweet friend. Sweetheart said she wanted a turquoise and hot pink room. I knew I wanted stripes on the comforter. I looked in every catalog, web site, and other source possible. They were either a small fortune, or just not what I was looking for.

So my older, evil sister talked me into making a duvet cover. "It's really just a giant pillowcase, Brenda. It'll be easy!" Famous last words.

My sister was right...it was much less expensive than others I had seen. But OH THE PAIN that went into this process.

Because you see, I am a visual learner. Moms, do you have a child like me? If you do, perhaps this will help you understand them just a little better. First a disclaimer: I am fairly intelligent. I graduated from college. Being smart has nothing to do with being visually-challenged. I am the type of person who cannot tell if an idea for rearranging the room will work unless I actually move the furniture. Then I can "see" that it doesn't fit. I simply cannot "picture" it in my mind. Obviously, this causes concerns with mathematics.

My sister knows this about me. So, she wrote out the directions step by step. She did a really good job, too....even drew pictures for me. She did everything she could to help me not be totally confused when I got home. While we were going over the directions, she looked up at my face and she just knew. I just could not "see" what she was talking about. So she grabbed some fabric scraps and made me this:

See? It's a cute miniature model of the finished product! Only the scraps she grabbed were not the colors I was using. So I was still confused. She sighed, grabbed crayons, and drew stripes on the top for me. My sister loves me. (See the confusing green color there?)

It was only by reading and re-reading the directions, and then studying my little model, that I was able to make this duvet cover. So Rachel...there's your pattern. Sorry. But if you are a visual learner like me--you'll be all set. And we can avoid any more nasty little sewing issues caused by those of us who just can't picture the final product until we are there.

They Think of Everything...

Meet Mike. Let me tell you how he came to live at our house.

We planted a garden this weekend.







And by "we" I mean S and the girls. I was sewing. It was divine. And, I FINALLY finished Sweetheart's duvet cover. It is beautiful. But I'm getting off-track here. The garden is lovely isn't it? Let me give you some perspective lest you think this is a really large garden. We live in the 'burbs, after all. Let's see. What can I use to give you perspective?


Ah, here we go.

So this morning we were eating breakfast when the girls looked out of the window and saw birds. BIRDS! LANDING NEAR OUR GARDEN!!!!

It was obviously an emergency. And then they saw one (gasp) land on one of the tomato baskets. They nearly panicked.

So, meet Mike. I promise his name has nothing to do with the fact that both of my sisters have ex-husbands named Mike. I know this because 1. The girls named him. and 2. They don't remember either uncle. Doesn't he look scary?
Tomorrow he goes to work. Wish him luck.

A Little Help Here?

Some time last year I remember reading the phrase "our family vision." To tell you the truth, even though I understand all three of those words, I had no idea what a vision for a family was. I was curious. Since that time I have figured it out. Through reading, through study, through God revealing a lot of things to me...I have a vision for how we want to raise our girls. I did NOT have a parenting vision or family vision when we first started. This is new.

But I am sure of it as I can be because it is grounded in scripture. Oh, I still have some questions about the specifics and we are still pondering some things that are far in our future, but I can safely say we have parenting goals now.

So how come no one is helping us with those?

All the time lately I find myself thinking, "this (fill-in-the-blank) is not lining up with our parenting goals." Why is that? Look, I don't expect secular organizations' philosophies to line up with ours. I understand we don't have to participate in them (and won't be next year!). But really, shouldn't someone, somewhere understand what we are trying to do with our girls? Where are the like-minded folks I read about everyone else finding?

I'm not whining...I'm just curious. It gets a little frustrating, but we will stand. Maybe one day we will find ourselves in a community of people who believe as we do. Maybe we are to be an example for others. I really don't know. I do know I am getting tired of feeling like an 0dd-ball. I don't want the girls to be upset one day that our family seems so different when I know there are plenty of others who think like we do...even if we don't know them personally.

And I'm beginning to realize that following Christ is not always convenient. But I wouldn't choose to be anywhere else.

Keepin' It Real: Foot-Wear

Stumbled on this post the other night from Victoria at Love and Rewards. It cracked me up. I have SO been there. She nails the problem!

Thanks for fessing up and helping us keep it real Victoria!