The Sieb Fam

We've Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:19:00 +0000

Come see the fresh new blog:

siebfam.com

Coming Soon...

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 17:29:00 +0000

I know it looks like I've neglected our little corner of the internet. However, quite the opposite has happened. Those haven't been crickets you're hearing; that's the buzzing of worker bees! Sieb Fam has been under some major construction and is getting a lovely little make-over.

Now I'm itching to show it off, but there's still some more fixing up to do. But it's coming. Soon! And for the unveiling there will be a give-away to kick it off...wait for it...wait for it...

Ceiling Tile Magnet Board {DIY}

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 17:42:00 +0000

I had a DIY planned for today (check out last week's curtain rod upgrade), and I'll be sticking to that plan. Because if I veered off right now this would be a post on three-year-olds who use Sharpies to decorate and who cut their sweet little baby hair three...yes THREEEEEE times in one week!!

*Deep breath*

Okay, just to clarify this DIY will have nothing to do with Sharpies. Instead, let's focus on all thing white and pretty and mappy (we'll pretend that's a word).

Ready to do this? Here's what you'll need:

-a large frame complete with backing
-tin ceiling tiles (I got my antique ones off ebay for a reasonable price. Check HERE for some that are being sold right now.)
-a map or pages out of an atlas
-a very strong adhesive such as Gorilla glue

Let's start with the frame. I got mine from a Goodwill. It belonged in a dark wood paneled room from the '70s complete with a poor quality bird photo. I loved the grain in the otherwise ugly frame and used a thin paint to be sure not to hide the beauty of the texture.

After this, I pulled pages out of an old atlas to cover the frame backing. I chose pages based on how well the colors of the map went together. On my first attempt, I used spray adhesive to get them in place. However, I noticed later that this was not going to be strong enough to last with the ceiling tiles on top, and I had to go back and redo it. So my suggestion is NOT to mess with spray adhesive, but to try my second method- take a disposable brush and carefully brush a strong glue such a Gorilla glue onto the backing. It's important to brush it on since squirting the glue will cause the map to warp. Then carefully smooth the map over the brushed glue, and give it time to dry completely.

Once the map had dried on the frame backing, I put it back in it's freshly painted wooden frame. I used the same Gorilla glue (this time simply squirting it) to secure the ceiling tiles to the middle of the piece being sure not to put too much glue around the edges to avoid it bleeding into visible areas. The way you choose to arrange the tiles totally falls to your artistic preferences- do you want a lot of the map showing or just a little...do you want large area of tiles or just a strip?

One note: It's important to use tin ceiling tiles since they are actually magnetic.

Be sure to let this dry completely while laying flat.

Now your new magnet board is complete.

And it's not just your new magnet board, but your new piece of art!

Simple Curtain Rod Upgrade {DIY}

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:08:00 +0000

When you move into a house, there are so many hidden costs; but I've found none so painful as window treatments. You ignore your whole new set of glass panes for a week or two as you unpack. Then one evening you're smooching with your man on the couch, and in that moment your lack of window covering suddenly receives your full attention. You're online the next morning, determined to get those suckers covered. You find yourself choking on your coffee. They want HOW much to put some fabric over a few square feet?!? (You can see why I turned to DIY treatments when we moved to a lovely spot with 19 windows.) Then, oh-no-it's-not-over, you need the hardware- rods, blinds, shades- my wallet is choking.

There are so many ways to tackle the issue; but in this post, I'm sticking to curtain rods.

For my family room I needed a double bracket rod. So here's what I did- I bought some simple, standard ones at JCPenney. You can find the ones I got HERE. The ends easily popped off.

Next I took a cork from a wine bottle...I guzzled the wine and felt so much better about the cost of the curtains...joking, joking. Where was I? *ahem* Oh, yes, so I took an exact-o knife and cut a space out of the middle so that cork would then fit very snugly in the hallow end of the curtain rod. If your rod is big enough, you probably can use an untouched cork.

Then I took some large door pull knobs that I had gotten at Anthropologie's sale rack. The fun thing about this is that you could go in so many directions depending on which knobs you choose. You could pick a great shape or one with quartz or even an animal- something to perfectly suit your decor! Just be sure the knob base is wide enough for the project.

So then, I put the knob screw through the cork.

Then I attached the nut with a washer to keep it sturdily in place. (That washer is the key; so don't skip it!)

Simply place the cork inside the rod.

Now it just doesn't get any easier than that!

Beautiful, easy, and best of all- a fraction of the price of a fancy curtain rod.

DIY's coming

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 20:12:00 +0000

Hey, blog peeps, it's been a full week; so you only get a simple sweet photo of baby.

But fun stuff is coming! In the next two weeks, you can expects some DIY posts on:

how to make a fabulous magnet board with maps and ceiling tiles
how to spruce up a little corner with simple mason jars
how to use door knobs to dress up simple curtain rods with one simple trick

Stay tuned!!

A Peek Into Our Home {craft/office room}

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 15:31:00 +0000

As I stated in my last Peek Into Our Home post, I simply never remember to take the "before" picture. This is truly sad since if I ever needed a before photo to show off some drama, it was for this room. "Mommy's Craft/Office" room became the junk room over the last 20 months of us living in this house. It was a full-on "catch all" with very little rhyme or reason. When I would get a photography order, I would go into this cesspool and dig out what I needed. When I would get ready for a photo session, it was like a game of find-the-needle-in-the-haystack. Each time I would promise this room that it had it's day coming.

January. That was month I had designated as D-Day for the for the office. So on January 2nd, before school started back up, I drug all four kids down to Ikea by myself. When we made it through the maze and to the check-out aisle, I couldn't help but to blurt out loud, "I feel like Super Woman right now!!" THIS is why they give you the option of buying frozen yogurt cones after you check out- a station that should be renamed "Reward Central".

So here's Mommy's new space. It's in the basement, so you'll have to forgive the lighting.

The pine shelving, white tables, and rug are all from Ikea. (And yes, that is my wedding dress.)

Those large baskets to hold all my newborn photo props were only $6 at Ikea...lovin' it.

These drawers were from my dear friend Emma who is about to move to Japan (sob!). I used some chalkboard paint to make labels for each drawer.

The chalkboard is actually an old baking sheet that I sprayed with chalkboard paint- easy, peasey.

Aren't those old graph papers divine!?! I grabbed them at a vintage shop in Oregon for 50 cents a piece! (Remind me why I don't live in Oregon, again?)

Storage boxes from Ikea...

These fun spheres were simple to make out of embroidery hoops. You can find the tutorial at Hill Country Homebody.

The magnetic strip was from Ikea and the shelf is simply and old crate attached on its side to the wall.

And can I just tell you the glories of walking into a room to do a quick job and knowing where everything can be found! Or sitting down for a longer job and leaving the unfinished product to come back later! After years of living in small spaces, I know what a luxury this is.

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Sweet Profiles

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 18:20:00 +0000

A Peek Into Our Home {guest bedroom}

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 16:49:00 +0000

It's been a long while since I've done a "Peek Into Our Home" post, but I'll be trying to get a couple up in the next few weeks along one or two simple tutorials.

So today let's peek into our guest bedroom that happens to also be the room of a long-standing "guest". My sweet sister, Hannah has lived with us for a couple years now. She will most likely be moving out at the end of the summer which will be tearful for all of us. Knowing this and also upon her request, I took over the decorating of this room.

My policy when redo-ing a bedroom is to keep the bedspread/comforter I've chosen in mind but NOT to decorate around it. The problem in getting so caught up "matching" the room to one piece is that when you've grown out that bed covering, you are forced to redo a whole room. Trust me, I've done hideous things like an time-intensive, striped lilac painted room designed around one silly comforter. When I changed my mind, I was stuck with those purple stripes until I convinced my husband to give up a weekend to help me paint the whole thing over. INSTEAD I've started designing a room I love with neutral pieces. You'll see that in this room where I chose grey and cream as the base color- a hundred different bed coverings would look gorgeous with this design.

This dresser was a $5 steal at a yard sale. I'm terrible about remembering to take "before" photos, but picture a dumpy old wooden dresser. I painted the main part of the dresser with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the Old White. Then the drawers were done in the French Linen color. The contrasting colors make this more of stand-out piece. I simply painted the original wooden drawer pulls in the French Linen, but decided on chrome pulls for the top drawer for some extra interest.

Psssst...secret. This glass bottle was an iced tea bottle that I rescued from the recycling bin and filled with some fat twine I had on hand. The bark vase and the above chalk board both come from an addicting little website full of inexpensive items called Save On Crafts.

The push-pin board was a score from Home Goods. It was just plain cork inside; but when I'm not hanging books on the wall, I'm pulling them apart. I took pages torn out of a book from a garage sale and used some adhesive to cover the board.

My sister helped me by painting the wooden bed frame we've owned forever in the Old White I mentioned before (with Annie Sloan wax to protect it). It made the piece so dreamy and beauty, but she probably wanted to shoot me after having to do each of those rails.

This little nightstand was actually once a side piece of an antique vanity. I'm smitten with it.

After painting it in the French Linen, I used a dry brush with the tiniest bit of Old White on it to brush over the wood design so that it would stand out more. Aren't the details devine!?

I already blogged about how to make this little DIY pallet art. You can find that HERE.

A little space turned little haven. As always, feel free to post your room redo's in the comments since who doesn't love to peek into someone's space!

Happy Friday, friends!

Dear Toddler Mommy

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 21:07:00 +0000

I've had this post in my head for weeks now; but after having one girlfriend describe a poop-painting episode in her home a couple days ago and another post the aftermath images of Valentine roses meet two-year-old son on Instagram this morning, it seemed like a good time to get this into a post.

Dear Toddler Mommy,

I'm no author or expert. But with my baby soon to be four, I'm past that time of my life but not so far past that my brain has clouded it into nostalgia. That's why I'm writing to you.

At Christmas, I spent time I spent with my sister who is living in the throes of toddler mothering. I have heard her remark on how unproductive she feels when she sees what I've done in a day. After a few days together I realized how much my life has changed, and the memories of what she was dealing with came flooding back.

So, Toddler Mommy, here's some things you need to remember:

1) Don't buy into the lie that this is supposed to be "fun" and that you must cherish every moment.
There are some precious-beyond-words, my-heart-is-going-explode-from-love, and giggle-filled moments in being a Toddler Mommy. Grab those moments and press them hard into your memory. They are a life-long treasure. But guess what? Those are moments, not overarching themes in the toddler years. Let's be honest, the overarching themes of those years are usual fits, colossal messes, and poop...lots of poop. Do you know where some of the beauty is in all of this? That we get to imitate Christ who saw us dirty and messy and loved us with a selfless, off-the-charts love. But no one said this was supposed to be fun.

2) No. It doesn't "fly by".
No matter how many sweet old ladies stop you in the grocery store and tell you that "it goes so quickly", don't buy it. My boys (only 14 months apart) were 2 and 3 for a decade. Well, that's how it felt. And I'm not yet senile enough not to remember it. When you're sitting at their high school graduation, it may seem like it went fast; but when you're in the middle of toddlerhood, each day feels so long and tedious. We all felt like that. Be free to know that's normal.

3) Don't compare your life to those of mothers ahead of you.
When you see a mom with more kids than you who seems to get so much done, and you wonder why you're still in your pjs making lunch while she's gotten her kids ready for the day, carted them to where they need to be, and looks like she actually put on make-up. Remember that her kids are old enough to dress themselves and pour cereal with milk (think of the glories!). Remember that she can actually shut the bathroom door when nature calls or even to put on some Maybelline. Remember that no one is dumping valuables or defecating in their pants...or in other places, Lord help us.

4) Don't compare yourself to other Toddler Mommies
Sure enough you have that one Toddler Mommy in your life. Your kids are the same age, and yet when you manage to make it to a play-date, you watch her child play like a calm little angel while you're peeling your kid off the ceiling. Her child forms words you didn't even know a two-year-old could put together: "yes" and "mommy". And you leave feeling like a failure. Listen to me. I was there. Oh was I there! But hear me: each mother has her own struggles. No one can fully understand your exact struggles. Except God. He knows exactly how you feel and your exact weakness. And He promises to "help you and...uphold you with His righteous right hand" He is the one steadying you.

5) This. Is. A. Season.
When I was in labor with my first child, I had to be on pitocin during part of it; and I staunchly refused to have epidural (stupid but true). The pain was so great that at one point I started hallucinating. I thought I was in a place of pain that I could never leave. I totally lost touch with the reality that labor would end.
This is a picture of the toddler years. At times, it seems so long and overwhelming that we forgot that it will end. Don't lose touch with the fact that your days do matter. You are sowing seeds right now; and while you might not see so much as a tiny little sprout, it's coming. Keep watering, sister.

6) Sit at Jesus' feet.
Remember those wonderful quiet times in God's Word that you had? Okay, so maybe it was two years ago, but remember it? Well, it probably won't look the same again for a long time. And that's okay. Did you hear me...that's okay! What's not okay is for you to be self-sufficient. Sit at Jesus' feet. It's not something on your to-do; it's your life source. Hear me carefully, I didn't say finish a Bible-in-a-Year plan. I said sit at Jesus' feet. Right now that means being resourceful. For a while my time with Jesus was when I sat outside my toddler's room trying to train him to stay in his big-boy bed (and this took so many flippin' weeks, people). I drank in a couple of verses...and popped the little stinker back in his bed...and drank in another verse...and...well you get the picture. Come to Him with your tears, your little victories, your frustrations. The Bible promises us that He cares. Can you even imagine!? The God of the universe cares for your personal mommy soul.

A Girl and Her Haircut

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 14:57:00 +0000

She's been begging for a chop for awhile now. I was skeptical but am a believer in their hair-their choice (except for my 3-year-old's desire to dye her hair pink). It turned out even cuter than I expected...big props to my friend Heather who's an artist with scissors.

A Girl and Her Pony

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Cleaning Up My Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 20:34:00 +0000

I've written many times about how we've spent the past couple of years cleaning up our food. Whole foods in- chemicals out. For us this has been egged on by food allergies and just a simple growing awareness of what we put in our mouths.

But I held hard and fast to one thing...what went into this little cup each morning:

I take my coffee prep seriously. Very, very seriously. While my hubby has gotten himself to the point that he's content sipping on a quality black coffee, I was still pouring creamers with ingredients I couldn't pronounce and a healthy *cough* dose of aerosol whipped cream on top. A couple of my health-nut girlfriends teased me that while I was so worried about everything else we ate, I turned a blind eye to my daily intake of coffee additives.

I ignore it and them.

I think there's that one food in everyone's life where you feel like Gandalf on the bridge...

After a couple of years of intentionally not reading the ingredients, I caved and decided it was time to do something. Maybe it was the fact that I finally let the alarm bells go off in my head that my dairy creamer could last for about 2 months in my fridge before going bad. The stuff must have been practically embalmed.

Now don't get me wrong. I haven't turned into such a health snob that I won't touch that stuff when I'm a guest somewhere, the issue is that I was consuming it usually twice a day in my own home.

Then with some recent health issues, I've had to pull sugar almost totally out of my diet. The coffee plot thickened.

So I did some experimenting. Some suggested Stevia- I couldn't bring myself to get over the aftertaste. One girlfriend puts straight maple syrup in her coffee- that didn't work for me. One guy I know uses honey- a little piece of my coffee-diva died.

I'll spare you any more details, but I finally found that little happy place of whole food coffee heaven. It's simple really- organic heavy cream and pure maple syrup are the only two ingredients. Both are whole foods, and real maple syrup is a natural sugar that your body can process easily while having health benefits to boot.

To make a batch of my "coffee happy place", I add:

3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 cup organic heavy cream

This is totally subjective to your palette and how sweet you like it. You can also add a touch of vanilla or peppermint extract if you want to flavor it.

I whip it up with my hand mixer until it reaches that beautiful whipped cream consistency, able to make a little peak if lifted.

Then I add about 2 tablespoons of it to my cup of Joe to make this gorgeousness:

I take the rest and freeze in an ice cube tray. Then I can just pull out two cubes and pop it in my coffee in the morning.

Now my coffee is clean and delicious and wonderful and I may run away with it someday.

And all is well in war and peace.

Book Collage

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 13:55:00 +0000

I have already blogged a how-to on one of my favorite decorating displays- wall collages. But for our family room, I had a more unexpected wall collage in mind. I think books are a decorating staple, so a book collage seemed like just the ticket.

Since I was actually planning to put nails through the books, I didn't want to use any beloved pieces from our personal library. So the first thing I needed was a stack of books I didn't really care about. Like most of the projects in my home I wanted it to cost very little so I started months ahead looking out for aesthetically pleasing books that were cast-offs to someone else. I raided my kid's school co-op's free pile and a local second-hand bookstore's free bin. I think the most I paid for one of the books was 50 cents at a yard sale.

Some of the books were old and absolutely perfect. But the for the newer ones that I wanted to age, I used a tea staining method you can read about here.

When I finally had enough books, I gathered a few other special pieces for the collage. For mine, I used a fabulously eclectic picture of Steven's great grandmother, a sweet photo of my grandfather as a toddler, a decorative spoon bearing the name of my father's birthplace, an antique wooden sign I picked up in Oregon, and some old water-spigot handles for a random touch.

Now the only tools I need were:

measuring tape
level
hammer
nails
photo mounting adhesive (or some other sort of dry adhesive)

To plan it properly I laid it out on floor to figure out the collage dimensions I wanted. Because I could hold the books in place and literally nail through them, I ditched my usual method for collages. Instead I laid the pieces out on the floor until I decided upon an aesthetically pleasing design, and then simply used a level and measuring tape to figure out where to place the first book. I opened the book in the middle leaving two pages sticking up. Then I began to nail in all four corner approximately 1/2" from the page corners. It is important to leave those two center pages untouched for now since they are going to be what you will use to hide the nails.

Then I took my dry adhesive making a strip on the outer edge of the nailed pages.

Once the dry adhesive is on the nailed pages, then simply smoothly those two pages you left in the center onto either side so that they adhere to the nailed pages. Doing this will hide any evidence of how on earth you got those books to stay on the wall like that!

I made sure to mix sizes and intersperse the other items in a way that didn't look too perfect. Isn't that photo of Steven's great grandma just the neatest thing!?

Dressing it up for Christmas was as easy as sticking a little wreath on one of the big books. It's now one of my favorite spots in the house.

The fun of decorating is thinking outside the box...or the bookshelf.

Another Pair of Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 18:52:00 +0000

I've posted my annual "Favorite Photos" contest over on my photography blog. So I'm soliciting your eyes. If you love photography and giving your opinion, head over there to play the judge for a minute. (Clicking on the photo will send you on your way.)

Happy Tuesday, y'all.

I'm Not Here to Write Their Story

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:53:00 +0000

I fell into bed completely exhausted from a typical full day. Steven was still brushing his teeth. As I was dozing off, I remember asking him one last question:

"Am I a bad mom?"

The next morning I woke up and thought back to my last words as I fell asleep. I began to consider how often this question is the topic on my brain as I put my head on my pillow.

I rarely ponder if I'm a bad friend, even a bad wife. But somehow when Isaiah arrived into my life nearly 12 years ago, this is the question I wrestle with the most. I know I'm not unique. I would venture to say that most mothers reading this are nodding their heads in agreement.

There is just so much darn pressure. Parenting magazines made me ask if I spent enough time on the floor with my toddler. Blogs made me question if I am stimulating my children's artistic abilities or even presenting their food creatively enough (sorry, peeps, but my kid's sandwich will forever take the shape of a box). In our sane moments, moms realize that their way to much expectation put on motherhood; but the thoughts still nag at the back of our brains.

But it doesn't stop there.

Then there is the world of Christian parenting. This opens a whole new can of parenting worms in my heart. Why isn't my kid obeying me instantly like that parenting book tells me I need to teach them to do? I don't remember any resources touching on what to do when your one son punches the other...is this that normal behavior? Am I doing something wrong? Am I ruining them? What if I never see my child become a Christian? Will they be in therapy in the future because I yelled at them today? What if I have to parent through intense rebellion as a teenager?

What's wrong with every single question I just asked myself? It's all about me. My control, my fears, my image.

Elyse Fitzpatrick said something that hit me hard: "We were never meant to carry the ultimate responsibility for anyone's soul: neither our own nor our children's. Only the Good Shepherd is strong enough to carry a soul- that's his job, not ours. And although this kind of committed parenting appears godly, it is nothing less than works righteousness and idolatry."

I actually started to breathe easier the first time I heard this. I felt like I had been carrying around an unbelievably heavy load, and the Lord was whispering, "That's mine."

I was meant to nurture, love, and preach the gospel to my kids. But it stops there. I was never meant to carry the burden of redeeming their souls.

I think back on my life. Even though I am in the middle of my journey, I can still see the way God has and is writing my story. Do I want that for my children? Do I want to let God write their story or do I want to write it? Who am I to say that a perfectly trained child and a young conversion is the story they should have?

So what can I do? In my brain, I've whittled it down to a few major responsibilities I have. Here are four major ones:

1. I can let them know they have a problem....and a solution
I often tell my kids that the kindest thing I can do for them is help them see that they are slaves to their own sin, and that someone is going to have pay the punishment for sinning against a Holy God. Then I can help them see the mind-blowing truth that God sent His Son take that punishment for them. I can do my make the gospel exciting and attractive. BUT it ends there. I cannot convert them and should not pressure them into conversion but allow the beautiful Savior to woo them to Himself.

2. I can let them know I'm ready to walk with them through the muck.
Let me give an example to this: Steven and I talked to the boys in honest terms about pornography. My gut instinct would be to simply tell them "don't you dare!", but that would just be opening the door to secret sin and shame. Instead we when we discussed it, though we did talk about the dangerous trap that it is, our emphasis was letting us walk with them through these waters. We told them that they are welcome to freely share what they've seen with no angry parent response. We promised them that we would do our best to walk through their temptations with them. Sin is most poisonous when it is in the dark. Are we will to help them walk in the light by being willing to get down in the dirty waters with them instead of simply standing a those waters edge and shouting at them to get out?

3. I can let them know they can't lose my love.
No matter what stage I have been at in my life, my parent's home has always been a safe haven. I know I will encounter love and acceptance. There were times they didn't accept my attitude or my choices, but I knew they accepted me and the fact that I was part of the family God knit together in their home. I want that for my kids. I want home to be safe, a place to be honest without fear of rejection.

4. I can pray. And then pray some more.
I need to really let that sink in. I have access to the God who has the king's heart as a stream of water in His hands. That is no light thing. Don't underestimate getting on your knees beside your bed and pouring your heart for your kids out to your own Father.

So I'm asking God to position my heart to take a backseat to His story writing. Will His version include a young person impassioned for eternity or will it include a teenage pregnancy? I'm praying that He gives me the grace to mother lovingly regardless, but I have to tell you it feels freeing not to be weighed down with having to figure it out myself.

The Obligatory Snow Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:45:00 +0000

When it snows in Virginia, you're supposed to act like it's a really big deal and post pictures.

So here you go.

You're welcome.

Making snowmen with Auntie...

Instead of snowmen, this mommy plays with iPhones and her own breath...

And you're even more welcome for not posting a thermometer photo.

Stay warm, y'all.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Cry

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 17:05:00 +0000

The Good-

This...

And this...

We got to spend time with both of our families, basking in loving support systems that make us feel rich as kings.

After the fullness of prepping for Christmas, there is nothing like soaking up time with family, nieces and nephews, and peaceful moments...

In fact like all of the best times, it was so good that I hardly thought of picking up my camera. So there the photos end. Christmas break y'all.

The Bad:

I was at an excellent little coffee shop with some of my family, chatting and laughing and instagraming this photo...

When I saw on my iPhone some news that felt like a sucker-punch to the gut. Ethiopia, my beloved Ethiopia, was in the midst of discussion that included talk of shutting down international adoption. I felt like I could hardly breathe.

Part of me was overcome by the memories of the faces of all of the orphans I met on our trip in July. Memories of newborn babies being fed with a cup since they didn't have the manpower to take the time to give them a bottle. Thoughts of those little faces being deprived of forever families.

The other side of the coin was personal. Though I've never seen her face, I've fallen madly in love with our future adoptive daughter. In our home she is part of regular conversation, we pray for her daily, and are already noticing how she has affected our family for good. The thought of not bringing her home is excruciating for all of us. I found this amongst my 7 year old daughter's things after the news broke:

The Ugly Cry:

In my younger days, one of my idiosyncrasies was that I despised letting people see me cry. If I was going to truly cry, I would lock myself in the bathroom since I couldn't even handle the thought of someone viewing my tears. But for the most part, I just avoided crying in its entirety.

Then I became a wife and parent. And some piece of my heart that I didn't even know existed cracked open.

Enter the ugly cry.

For me it seemed the deeper I loved, the deeper I could cry. And that was Friday night for me. Suddenly I felt like a pregnant woman who had been told she should spend the rest of her pregnancy with the very real possibility of losing her baby. Those heaving sobs somehow validated how thoroughly God had allowed my mother's heart to be opened to this little one who was to be my fifth child.

We don't know how this will all play out. We have been told this all may be political talk with no real threat behind it. We have been told it may not.

Right now God is giving us the strength to "bow [our] knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named." (Eph. 3:14-15)

One More Week

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 18:59:00 +0000

Guess which four munchkins are super psyched that Christmas is only one week from today...

Christmas Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 21:31:00 +0000

Ready for some great Christmas gift ideas? Better yet, ready for some great Christmas gift ideas where the money you spend goes towards empowering women in Africa and India to raise money for their families through a sustainable business?

I thought so.

Here we go; you'll find items on this list for all budgets. Just click the title link for any gift to take you to the spot to shop.

For a Hostess Gift:

Noonday Tea Towels

Fiesta Journal

For Your Girlfriends/Sister/Mom:

Bone Carved Earrings (I'm absolutely drooling over these!)

Woven Voyage Clutch

Paper Bead Earrings

White Arrow Clutch

Ruth Necklace (Wouldn't this just make any simple shirt spectacular!)

Paper Bead Spiral Bracelet

Shibori Hobo Purse

Carved Jade Bracelet

Mary Sunshine Apron

Crescent Moon Earrings

Seble Scarf (Be still, my beating heart.)

For the Man in Your Life:

Genet scarf

Don't be thrown off by the female model in the link. I bought one for my brother and he looked super studly. Even Jimmy Fallon rocked this scarf:

Fikire Leather iPad Cover

Kalkidan Leather Wallet:

You can find lots of other gorgeous items in the stores of the links I've included in this post. Think of how fun it would be to tell the recipient that their gift was made in Africa or India!

And, wives, you may just need to accidentally, on-purpose make sure this list ends up in your husband's inbox.

Happy Shopping!

Things I'm Into This Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 17:15:00 +0000

Idea swapping is the real beauty of the internet. So let's do some of that here and now. And since I didn't get enough sleep last night and can't think of a snazzy intro, I'll just dive right into another "Things I'm Into" post.

Herbs! I'm on an herb kick right now. Not just for cooking but for decorating/crafting. It started with an herb centerpiece my sister and I cooked up for the Thanksgiving table:

That spilled over into present wrapping. (Don't be impressed- I'm not so organized that I'm on top of wrapping gifts this early, I just had a couple presents that needed to be delivered early):

I even got my girls into the herb action with rosemary tree/wreath miniatures:

And I love that they dry so nicely. This thyme is already dried out and went perfectly with our table's Christmas centerpiece:

Now onto something less odoriferous; how about chalkboard art. I officially jumped on the chalk art bandwagon:

This was actually a simple project that made my handwriting appear much better than it really is. I simply used the same technique as I did with my pallet art by printing out some script I had found on the internet, rubbing chalk all over the back of the paper, then placing the paper on the chalkboard and using a pencil to trace the art onto the board. If that didn't make sense you can find more HERE. I used a chalk marker to get a clean look, but you can also simply wet a piece of chalk.

Speaking of chalkboards. This chalk work that my girlfriend put up on her blog is now the background of my phone since I need the mommy reminder every day:

And now onto those kiddos I mother. Everyone from my 11-year-old to my 3-year-old has been enjoying these printables:

via dabbleandbabbles

And we plan to get into the Christmas spirit one December morning with these:

via happyhomefairy

I'm not a baker, but there is something about the cold weather that makes me want to throw on apron and turn on the oven. I've made these grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free muffins a couple of times; and they are a hit with the whole family:

via BrittanyAngell

Finally, here's what my kids are into this winter. They want Santa to be real, so they can ask him for a pompsky. Don't know what a pompsky is? Check out this bundle of fluff:

They're wishing for Santa to be real; because they know that when it come to animals in the home, Daddy isn't quite as jolly as the old man in a red suit.

May you stay cozy and warm and full of ideas this winter!

Window Treatments {DIY}

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 15:10:00 +0000

There is this one frustrating thread through my life. Anytime I ignore my mother's advice, I regret it. Well, except for my decision to use a soundtrack for my wedding processional. I was right on that one; which means- Alyssa: 1 Mom: 953.

I won't even bore you with the excessive stories of how she ended up being right time and time again. But I will tell you about the window treatments. At every single place I have lived in since getting married (which is 6 places in 12 years), she has advised me to make my own window coverings. Each time it goes something like this:

Mom: "Honey, you should really consider making your own window treatments. They are far cheaper and so easy.."
Me: "Mom, you know I can hardly sew a straight line."
Mom: "They truly aren't difficult to do."
Me: "Mom, I acted like I had just made Kate Middleton's wedding dress when I completed a pathetic pillow. You know how it is."
Mom: "I really think you could do it."
Me: "You're supposed to say that; your my mom."

Well last year, faced with a new house full of windows and a wallet not-so-full of money, I finally caved. I actually made my own window bling. And Mom was *cough* *mumble* right. Again.

So, I'm hear to preach the window treatment truth to you...

Really! Take it from a non-sewer who resisted for over a decade.

First, there were the valances in the kitchen and breakfast nook:

I used a 1x4 piece of lumber instead of a curtain rod to give it a unique look that began the money savings. I simply painted it, cut it, screwed in smaller pieces to the long front piece, and used brackets to hang the whole thing:

Then I started collecting my materials for the valance. I hit up Calico Corners when they were having their biggest sale of the year for the fabric and bought twill ribbon, buttons, and wooden dowels from JoAnn Fabrics.

Then I followed THESE clear, simple instructions from the Painted Hive.

Above my kitchen sink, I used a tension rod the old owners had left behind to hang the valance:

In my bedroom, I wanted to to use the sheers that came with the house and to make a wooden cornice. I used some cut pallet wood and whitewashed it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (half paint, half water). In a similar way as the wooden curtain rod I described above, I used brackets to hold the two long pieces of wood together and to attach the small side pieces. Then I used a tension rod inside the wooden cornices. I love the hard/soft feel that it gave:

For my front room, I wanted some fabric cornices to hide the shades:

The materials for this were only the fabric, lumber, brackets, batting, and a borrowed staple gun from my dad. I used THIS tutorial from Inspired Whims.

A couple of last tips:
1) For the wider windows (like the one in my breakfast nook) be sure to support and window covering structure in the middle so it doesn't eventually bow.
2) Always, always put your treatments above your windows to draw the eye upward and give the illusion of bigger windows.

And if you want to make drapes yourself, hit up Pinterest where they're now even showing you how to construct those out of drop clothes. I haven't ventured into the drape-making world yet, but I'll get there...eventually...and make my mom proud.

Our Days

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 17:17:00 +0000

Just stopping by to share some shots from our day to day life...

After a package was delivered, Isaiah swiped the box since he had a "puppet show" idea...

Tea Time

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 21:21:00 +0000

What do Lord Grantham, Call the Midwives, Sherlock, and our homeschool co-op all have in common?

They’ve all been featured on BBC!

Okay, that’s a bit of an over-dramatic way put it. But it’s not every day that you have network cameras show up in your kids' classroom. They were doing a piece on a German family in our co-op, and I was extremely pleased with the final news clip. Homeschooling has been under serious fire in Germany. It’s a topic that needs to be shown for what it is, and BBC did a great job with this story.

If you check out this two minute news piece, you’ll even see my Adriana’s face pop up a few times in the clip since she is in the art class of the featured mom.

Just watch the video at the beginning of THIS article.

So since we’re talking British TV, it seems only right to put tea time in the same post. My version of tea would probably have England groaning, but it will have your immune system rejoicing. Now that we are in cold and flu season, we have been devouring pots of this stuff that my sister has dubbed “Emergen-C Tea”. I recently got a cold, and I was amazed at how fast this stuff helped kick the sinus junk from my system.

Emergen-C Tea

1 tsp. organic apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. local honey

½ tsp. vitamin C powder (I buy mine at Trader Joes)

1 packet of raspberry herbal tea (optional)

Put the first three ingredients in the bottom of a mug. Pour hot water over all and mix. I like the tangy taste of my tea just like this, but my kids like it with a pack of raspberry tea steeped in it.

Now curl up with a blanket, a cup of this tea, and some Downton Abbey re-runs. You can boost your immune system while you yell at the Telly that they would dare to knock off Matthew with a stupid car crash.

(Note: Since we chug this stuff, I've taken to keeping a bottle of 2 parts honey to 1 part vinegar in a separate jar. It takes away some of the bite of the vinegar as it sits and also is much easier to pour. Then I just put a tablespoon of this mix in my tea.)

Halloween 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 15:05:00 +0000

It's always around this time of the year that I'm dusting the cobwebs off my neglected blog to post again. October looks so sweet and innocent sitting on my calendar; but I've learned that, for a photographer, it's hidden beast. Instead of visiting my blog space, I've spent my computer time editing everything from babies in pumpkins...

...to fairy princesses in the woods.

But I'm stopping by the blog to show off my littles at Halloween. I was having an especially bad attitude about Halloween the other night after spending part of my evening working with my preteen to make sure his wrestler costume was "cool" enough. (Lord, help me through the "cool" years.) I was fed up with a holiday whose only point seemed to be pushing me to my costume-making limits, which is pretty low to begin with, and filling my children's body with refined sugar.

But last night we pulled our fire pit to the end of the driveway, and actually had a chance to chat with our neighbors and see our kiddos bouncing around with the joy of their costumes (or maybe it was all that sugar), especially a little girl who had her first year of trick or treating.

My little barista and the semi-cool Mexican wrestler:

Laura Ingalls and my little football player (a study in the vast differences of their personalities):

Next year as I begrudge coming up with four costumes to match four unique personalities, remind me that in the end, this was actually kind of fun.

My Latest Craving {a warm, fast breakfast}

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:43:00 +0000

It's getting to that season where you just want a pair of slippers and some warm breakfast when it's time to wake up in the morning.

I wrote before how our breakfast meal has had a bit of a make-over. I have to admit that we began falling back into our cereal rut when school started back up. It's just so easy.

So here's my school-day, chilly weather breakfast wish list:

warm
healthy
quick

Is that too much to ask?

So with some help from a girlfriend and my sister, I got some ideas for how to make our first meal of the school day speedy and toasty-warm.

Here are two breakfast ideas that can be made in under two minutes and don't involved any packaged food. The first requires 5 minutes of prep the night before, but the second is a true grab-and-go.

Personalize Sized Homemade Instant Oatmeal
-5/8 c. water
-5 Tbsp. whole oats
-1 Tbsp. chia seeds
-dash of cinnamon
-dash of salt
-2 tsp. of maple syrup (less if you don't like it very sweet)
-1 Tbsp. dried fruit (optional- we have also done fresh peaches or blueberries but dried cherries is a favorite)

The night before, mix all ingredients in a microwave safe glass or bowl. Stick it in the fridge. In the morning, it will look something like this...

Simply pop it in the microwave for about 90 seconds, and that's it. Easy, peasy. My kids like to pour a little milk over it at the end.

Remember that this is a personal sized recipe. I do this six times over for our whole family (easy if you're doing it in a whole batch). The best part is that if I take 5 minutes to prep these oatmeals before I go to bed, my husband can grab his cup when he wakes up early to head off to work and have a hot breakfast in less than 2 minutes. Then my older kids can do the same when they are ready for breakfast. Bye, bye, Mr. Quaker man. You and your little sugar-filled packets can take a hike.

Now, if you didn't have a chance the night before to prep but still have a hankering for a warm morning meal in a jiffy, this next one is for you. Did you know you that a microwaved egg done right is actually delicious? It will literally take longer for me to type this recipe out than for you to make this egg.

Minute Egg
-1 egg
-1 tsp. water
-pinch of your favorite cheese

Crack an egg into a small glass bowl or cup and whisk it up with the water. (I totally eye-ball measure the water since pulling out a measuring spoons seems like so much work. Pathetic, I know.)

Microwave it for 30 seconds. Pull it out, stir it with a fork and put the cheese on top. Put it back in the microwave for 20 seconds or until no longer soupy. Do not overcook it!

I was in the mood for gorgonzola on this particular morning, and my minute egg was like a little gourmet breakfast with a dirty secret.

So there you have it- a quick, healthy breakfast does not have to be an oxymoron!