Yesterday…Quite a Day.

Yesterday was yesterday. I'd rather not repeat it.

Not that it was a bad day, it was just a day. 

Let's see. 

I got off work, slept about an hour, ran a few errands, then got home. I did a few work-related phone calls, worked on my schedule and to-do lists for the next two weeks, straightened up the house and put a load of laundry in. 

Walking up to get Ryan off the bus, I thought about the cupcakes I needed to make yet today so he'd have them for school tomorrow. Maybe I'd get them done before leaving for the girl's volleyball game. 

I didn't. 

The game was nail-biting. They lost one, won one, lost one, won one, then won the tie-breaker. I think my blood pressure went up a bit and the people around me probably wished I'd go sit down and quit pacing. I can't help it!

So home again, home again jiggity-jig. I still had cupcakes to bake. 

I started. I had ingredients in the bowl by 10pm. Then the  phone rang. Nora, the girl's horse, was frisking about, on the wrong side of the fence. 

Cupcakes on hold, we drove off gallantly to put things right. 

"Mom, just leave the car lights on. So we can see." 

(Uh-huh. Remember that part.)

The lovely Nora was enjoying the grass, which actually was greener on the this side of the fence.

Go figure. 

"You want me to go where? Now? Why? I like it out here." 

If I was Nora, I'd be thinking this:

"If I stay on this side of the gate, these girls pick the fresh grass and feed it to me. Go back? Nah!"

In the end, she did go back, quite nicely. 

My girls, horse whisperers. 

(Ignore the creepy horse eye.)

Okay, that's done. We are all freezing now and head back to the car. 

We need gloves. 

We need another jacket. 

We need jumper cables.

No kidding. 

My car battery is dead and no one is around to give us a jump. We could hitch the frisky horse to the car and tow it home…

We called Adrienne instead. Between the two of us, we got the cables attached correctly, no one got shocked and my car started. She's quite a gal! A flashlight would have been helpful, but right when we needed a light, my cell phone battery died. The way this was going, let's just say I was thankful I didn't have a pacemaker battery to worry about. 

Home again, home again jiggly-jig. Same song, second verse. 

By now, it's after midnight. My night shift brain has forgotten that I haven't slept more than an hour since Sunday morning and I still have cupcakes to finish. The kids went to bed, I baked. 

Gingerbread cupcakes. 

Spicy. 

Mmmmmm. 

 Suffice it to say that yesterday was a day.
What's today got that can beat that?

Love,
Dianne

Slalom, Slush, and Snowplow

Last evening, my sister-in-law, Karen, took Amy and Heather to The Wisp to go skiing for their very first time. I haven't had a chance to talk to them, but the videos Karen posted looked like they had a blast!

I am glad they had fun. I am pleased that their first experience on skis was a positive one. I sure wish mine had been...

When I was in 5th Grade at Accident Elementary School (at least I think it was 5th grade), our class went to The Wisp Ski Resort in McHenry MD for the day. Despite not owning any "official" ski clothing or having any experience, I was excited.  That morning, I layered on lots of clothes and headed to school. Soon, a busload of happy kids was headed for the slopes.

Upon arrival, we were fitted with boots and skis and shown how to put them on and also how to stand with them on. This skill of attaching your ski to your boot was a very necessary one for me to learn, because every single time I fell down, which I might add was frequent, my ski would fall off. I spent half the time there on the ground reattaching equipment.

Once we had boots and skis, we headed out in small groups to the beginner slope to have a ski lesson. You know, the basics. How to start, stop, snowplow, reattach skis, etc.

My instructor liked everyone in our group but me.

No, really. When a student learned the snowplow technique, he would move them to the next group to advance their skills. After a few attempts, not counting the one where I got turned around and was going backwards towards the parking lot, I figured out how to snowplow. I never got moved up to the next level. He never even told me I did a good job.

Oh, the heartbreak of a 10 year old on skis.

After the lesson, we were on our own. I was off to tackle the rope tow. It certainly looked easy enough. Just grab ahold of the rope gently and as you do, it will pull you up the hill. 


For the record, they lied.

Every time I got the rope and did what they said to do, it would violently jerk me forward, and with my face planted in the snow, would begin to drag me up the hill. I could hear voices yelling, "Let go! Roll out of the way!" They didn't need to tell me twice as there were people behind me, successfully managing the rope and they would've skied right over me.

The next thing I tried was walking up the hill (still the beginners slope), turning around and skiing down. I think that only happened twice. The first time, I plowed into an unsuspecting person and knocked them down, nearly skewering them with my pole. The second time, I ended up in the row of pine trees that divided the slopes.

The best part of the whole day was eating lunch.

My grand ski adventure never got off the beginner's slope. And I never tried it again.

Watching my girls ski made me think that maybe I should try it again. Maybe I could actually ski. Maybe I should add that to my list of life goals. I've never broken a bone before; what better way to try?

And maybe, just maybe, that ski instructor is retired...

Love,
Dianne

Pictures from Heather's Room Redo

Except for finishing details, like pictures on the walls, a place for jewelry, a few paint touch-ups, and possibly a new rug, Heather's room is done. I think it turned out pretty and feminine which matches Heather. 

The doors before.....

...and after

The "new" dresser

Color Me Bold

I really don't think that "coloring your hair" means to streak it with various shades of primer white, Chilled Wine, and Wild Geranium.

I am not a neat painter.
I get it on my hands.
I get it on my face.
I get it in my hair.
Here and there, I get it everywhere. I do not like green eggs and ham. (oops, wrong story)

Yesterday, I got the ceiling painted. Not sure I will ever do that again. Of course, after I was done I discovered that, yes, we do have one of those pole extender things so painting a ceiling is easier. Sigh.

 I got the bottom painted in the chilled wine color. The first coat was spent with me wondering what on earth I was thinking of when I picked the color. Bold, really bold, was the word that came to mind. It needed THREE coats to get good coverage. Whew.

First coat. Yikes!

Amy, Heather and I painted the top with Wild Geranium. Today I will attempt to color-wash with Keepsake Rose. It is all such a dramatic change from the whitish color it was before. I am hoping it will all pull together with the border, curtains, linens, and floor covering. Right now though, I'm second guessing myself.

This morning, before getting back at it...

Sometimes change is welcome. Sometimes it is scary. Sometimes you just have to be bold (like the color!) and step out in faith. In my life, change is usually of the scary variety, or at least I make it that way. Not all change is by choice either. My choice however is what I will do with the changes. Embrace it? Push it away? Trust that the God who does not change will walk me through it? 

Until that moment comes, I'm not sure what the answer will be. I wish I could say I always embrace change with a smile, a spirit of adventure and a British accent (you know, like Agent 007), when really, I usually just want to hide under the covers. Be that as it may, whatever I do, I will certainly do it with streaks of purples in my hair.

Love,

Dianne

So white....then add color!

Mission accomplished.

Heather's room is primed and ready for color. It is amazing really how much better her room looks even with just a coat of plain white primer. I would've said her walls were pretty much white before, but in comparison, they were not even a nice shade of off-white. Maybe more like the color of teeth left too long unbrushed.

Gross, I know.

The whole process makes me think about my life and how I may think I am "just fine" the way I am.
Why change?

But when I allow myself to see, to really see myself, I see the dingy, ugly parts of me.
         The negative thinking (I am a failure as a mom, as a wife, I am no good, etc...) ,
                     ...the way it is easy to think myself better than that other person,
                              ...the way I can get angry and all bent-out-of-shape over something
                                 that in 10years,
                                 5 years,
                                 1 year,
                                 even a week from now is not going to matter.
          And the list could go on...

Thank God that He sees me for who I am. The real me. And loves me anyhow.
That He loved me enough to give His life in place of mine, so that I can be primed; that I can become as white as newly fallen snow.

I can't wrap my mind around it.

 I can't comprehend how He loves me.

I just know that He does. 

He's real. 

Psalms 51 says so much more than I can say.
I took time this morning to read it, all of it, and to think about it. No, I didn't commit the sins David did, but I do sin. The writer of the Psalm wrote from his heart and it has touched mine.

"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalms 51:7

Be cleansed, be primed and then, look out! Are you ready for color?!
Love,
Dianne

Organizing the organization

I picked my vacation time this morning.  Christmas week was still open, so I took it. Maybe Christmas in New York City?? I remember being in Louisville KY for Christmas and there is just something really neat about a city with Christmas lights and decorations.  I like that I have 11 months to plan too!

Planning....
       List-making...
               Organizing....

I like doing these things. Maybe a little too much actually. I saw a book today when I was at Lowe's and it was a week-by-week organizer with hints and ideas to get your household and life in order. I was drawn to it like a moth to flame. I ended up putting it back on the rack; after all, I already have a shelf full of books along the same vein of thought. Maybe I'll go alphabetize them....

I was at Lowe's picking out even more paint colors for Heather's room. You see, I ordered her wallpaper border and when it came, the colors we initially thought would match didn't.

New color scheme, in some way or another:

       Main color:

                     Chilled Wine

                     Wild Geranium    

                     Keepsake Rose

       Accent color:

                      Cavern Moss

                      Dark Sage

        2nd Accent color:

                      Stone Gray

                      Gravel

                      Stonington

We aren't using every one of these colors, but at least elements of them. I don't think I'm going to post the pictures of the actual colors yet...they will be revealed later....

Now, I think I'm going to go organize something...anything...

Til tomorrow

Dianne

                     

Purple, Purple, Purple (Say that 3x fast)

I love all the names they come up with for paint colors.
Coffee Rose,
    Ballerina,
        Crocodile Tears,
            Thyme Green,
                Morning Breeze,
                   Ship's Harbor,
                       Sundrenched White Plum,
                            Serene Shade Tree,
                                Cinnamon Bear,
                                    Antique Lace.
They names put an image, a feeling into your head. They make you think of food, of places you'd like to visit, of gardens you'd like to wander through. They make you dream. 


I like to take a winter vacation every year. I like being housebound with a project. Over the years I've painted the living room and staircase, the family room, Adrienne's room, and Amy's room. This year I'd like to tackle Heather's room.

Heather's current bedspread

Last night we were looking at paint chips. We knew a little what direction we wanted to go in, so we laid out the piles of colorful cards. I almost started drooling.

We have been thinking purples and greens

Sooooo many purples, and these are just a few!

And more purples!

We finally decided to go with purples and grey with some green thrown in here and there. Maybe.
Now we need to decide on painting technique. I'd like to try some color washing; she'd like to just paint it plain. We're still thinking. To wallpaper border or not? That is the question. (Or at least one of them.)

Vacation starts January 21, so I have a little more time to prepare. I'll keep you posted.

So what were the paint colors we went with? Or at least the ones in the final running?
          Violet Blusher
                     Romantic Purple
                               Regal Purple
                                          Defense Armory Gray or New Zealand Fossil

Drool. I can't wait to start!

The Torture Photo Session

2011

This morning, 9am.
Be at the tree. 
Look Festive. 
It's Christmas Photo by the Tree time!
No, I don't care what you wear.
Yes, you need to look somewhat presentable.
No, this is not for Christmas cards.
Yes, it will most likely show up on my blog.
No, you can't sit like that for the picture!
Yes, please look like you are enjoying this.

Hang on guys, I can't get the lighting right...

Okay, still trying to figure out the lighting...

Okay, last one. Make it goofy (like they really had to try hard for that!)

And after about 20 pictures, we got 1 or 2 that everyone was looking the right direction, and looking normal...Thank you Adrienne, Aaron, Amy, Heather and Ryan!!!!! I love you bunches and bunches!!!

Home is Where The Heart Is

The gifts are wrapped, the lights are up and for the most part, the cards are either delivered or in the mail. There are just a few that I am trying to find the current address for. You don't realize how much of a mobile society we are until you try to find addresses. (Phone numbers are a whole other ballgame!)

In the 23 years we've been married, we have lived 5 different places.

Our first home was in an apartment over Lura Folk's garage in Springs PA. We were there 3 sweet years. Our marriage started there and we brought our first baby, Adrienne, home to that apartment. I don't have a single photo of the outside of our apartment, but here is just a sample...

Leo and Adrienne...awwwww...reading farming magazines together

That's my man!

The second place we lived was in a trailer down by Leonard's parents. Small home, but large with memories.  Aaron was born while we lived here and so in our little trailer, the 4 of us lived and learned about life with toddlers. We were here for 3 years.

Dec 1992 Snowstorm! I am pregnant with Aaron.

Wootsie and Leonard

Adrienne and Aaron eating PB&J in the kitchen

Leonard and Adrienne heading to Paps to do the chores. A favorite of mine.

Then, we felt led to the mission field and while that didn't take us to a far-off country, it did take us to Louisville, KY for 2 years. Of course, coming from the country, living in a city felt a bit like a foreign country to us. So much was learned there and neither of us would ever trade the time we spend there. There is certainly a part of us that still calls Louisville "home". And, while we were there, Amy joined our family!
I have my KY album all put together so I didn't pull pictures out for here. Guess you'll just have to come visit if you want to see more. :)

2217 Bonnycastle Ave

Aaron and Adrienne; another favorite pic of mine.

In January 1997, we moved back to the area we had been away from. For 3 months, we lived at my grandparents farmhouse in Accident MD while they were still in Florida. That was an interesting time of living out of boxes and suitcases with a 5yr old, a 3yr old, and a 1 month old. It was an adjustment going from being shepherded by a mission organization, to figuring out what we were going to do now to make a life for ourselves.

MD Bearcreek Farm

The kids with my Dad 

Amy and Adrienne with Grandpa. He and Gordon would come in for breakfast after morning chores. The kids always enjoyed that time.

Another picture from our short stay at Grandpa Bender's farm.
Aaron, Amy, and Adrienne with Leonard

April 1 1997 was moving day! We ended up on the farm where we currently are living. The past 14 years have been a roller coaster of farming, nursing school, kids starting Kindergarten and graduating high school, and of course, adding Heather and Ryan to our family unit.

Home Sweet Farm

Carrot Harvest
Heather and Amy

Adrienne, me and Amy

And then there were 5....

We have been blessed in so many ways by each of the places we have lived and by people that we have met along the way. I am thankful for the ways in which God has provided!

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24: 3-4


"As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15