A House and Yard

I Have Moved!

2015-08-14T15:52:00.000-05:00

Hello Readers!

You may or may not have noticed that there has been no action on A House and Yard for quite some time now.

You may or may not have wondered what happened. I am under no delusion that anyone at all has been pining away because they haven't received a post from A House and Yard in such a long time. That's okay.

Many things have happened and many changes have been made. The very short version of the story is that I am not writing here at a House and Yard anymore.

However.....and this, I think, is extremely exciting....I am writing again, but on a new blog.

I hope you will visit me at my new place Treasures Hidden, a blog by Calista Baker.

At Treasures Hidden you will find me writing about treasure hunts. Treasures hidden in darkness.

Sometimes this world can be a dark place, but I have learned that even when it’s darkest there are treasures to be found. Little glimpses of light. A kind word or a smile. A sense of peace in the middle of chaos. The smallest flicker of hope. You just have to look. And sometimes you have to be patient enough to wait for it. There are times when the found treasures seem random, but they are gifts from God Who loves you and me more than we could ever know.

I sure don’t claim to have all the answers. I am simply a person who has lived some life and has some difficulties – like you. My personal darkness includes the fight for my marriage and family. In this battle I faced fear, depression, and hopelessness – to name a few.

However, along the way I have found a good deal of treasure. Treasure hidden in the darkness. I will share these with you, because sometimes it’s hard to find them for yourself when you’re in the trenches of life battles.

It is my prayer that after lingering at Treasures Hidden for a few moments

you will come away with more hope than when you arrived.

Hope to see you soon!

Calista Baker
Author of Treasures Hidden
www.calistabaker.com

The Jesus Character

2014-02-05T19:05:00.000-06:00

As part of our church’s drama team, I got the text early in the week.

“Can you fill in on Sunday morning for the sketch? The girl who was scheduled has to go out of town unexpectedly.”

I agreed and received a quick rundown on the script. My director concluded with this comment, “Yours will be the Jesus character.”

Being familiar with church-drama-lingo, I understood this to mean that my character would be the straight man and the one with the right answers for the other character who would be struggling with some sort of problem or choice. The “Jesus character” is always loving, kind, forgiving, compassionate, patient, full of wisdom, and – well – like Jesus.

That particular week also happened to be a week of relationship challenges. Harsh words spoken. Unresolved issues led to a face-off, a dead end, and the ever-popular silent treatment vs. the just-get-over-it-and-act-like-it-didn’t-happen treatment.

Hey, wait a minute! I thought we were on the road to redemption!

Standing in church the morning I was scheduled to perform the sketch, the worship team lead us in song after song about the love of God until His Presence was so intense I almost couldn’t breathe. My mind, which had been mulling over the frustrating conversations of the week, became settled and quiet. Then He spoke. I heard the still, small voice.

“You’re the Jesus character.”

A heavy sigh and, “But, God…,”

“The Jesus character.”

“I know.”

Loving. Kind. Forgiving. Compassionate. Patient. Full of wisdom.

Why do I have to be the Jesus character in this real-life piece of drama? Why isn’t he being the Jesus character to me? I’m struggling, too, you know! And I’m having a real hard time with “just get over it and move on.”

I wish I wanted to be the Jesus character! I wish I could be the Jesus character! Jesus is all these things because He IS love. I am flesh and bone. And flesh.

“Help me, Father.”

There’s the crux. Someone needs to be the Jesus character. And this business of redemption is on-going and messy.

The process of redemption in relationships is tricky because there are still feelings involved and memories to deal with and life to be lived and recovery that hasn’t fully taken place. The work of redemption - buying back, releasing, forgiving, and rebuilding - all takes place in the midst of trying not to drown in the hurt of the past.

The truth is, in relationships we take turns being the Jesus character for each other every day. Some days you might be the straight man with all the right answers. Other days you might be the guy struggling with a problem or choice. We’re all in need of a healthy dose of mercy and grace. The measure of mercy and grace I use with others will determine the measure of mercy and grace that comes back to me.

Some days my mercy scoop just isn't very generous.

And I realize I have lost my focus.

THE original Jesus character– the One…

…Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom)

from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people [to be peculiarly His own,

people who are] eager and enthusiastic about [living a life that is good

and filled with] beneficial deeds.

--Titus 2:14 AMP

God – my Lord and Creator – Who said…

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!

--Isaiah 43:1 NASB

Benefits I enjoy…

He redeems me from death

and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

--Psalm 103:4 NLT

My part in this whole deal…

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!

Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.

--Psalm 107:1-2 NLT

Have I been redeemed by God? Bought with a price? My sins forgiven? Abundant life now? My home in heaven? Yes, I have.

But I am pretty sure I don’t thank Him enough.

Or speak up enough.

Or carry a big enough mercy scoop.

How about you?

--Calista

Linking with:
Imparting Grace

Do You Need A Better Plan?

2014-01-02T11:43:00.000-06:00

Maybe I should just say, I need a better plan.

Okay, okay. I just need a plan. A plan for the morning. I don’t have one. Well - wait – unless you count the one about boiling the water for my morning French-pressed wake up elixir. Straight up. Black. Strong.

Yeah, I should have more of a plan than -

Get up.
Boil water.
Make coffee.
Drink coffee.
Don't burn mouth.

After I get the coffee down, it’s pretty much haphazard. What does haphazard actually mean, anyway?

Haphazard:

happening or done in a way that has not been planned

synonyms include: random, hit-or-miss, slapdash, jumbled, careless, irregular,

all over the place (haha – very funny)

Ouch. Guilty as charged. And sorry I asked.

You know, I used to be an organized person. When the kiddos were young and still at home, it seems I accomplished so much more. And I know I had a plan for each and every day. What happened?

Little by little, I got comfortable. Life got easier in many ways. And I got – dare I say it? – lazy.

Why is it that as the kids got older and either left home or got self-sufficient, not requiring as much from me, I got lazy?

I can even remember realizing a few years ago the privileged season of more time to myself quickly approaching. I looked forward to it and thought about how much I’d be able to accomplish. But I didn’t make a plan.

I was soon to arrive at every mom’s Promised Land.

The Promised Land which flowed with children sleeping through the night, waking and getting their own breakfast, doing their school and chores without too much prodding. Children who didn’t need a babysitter. Children who could safely drive themselves to events or work. Children who didn’t care anymore if I left the house without them.

I am a mom who has practically worked herself out of a job.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not sad about this in any way, shape, or form. It’s the way is supposed to be. We raise our kids so they can be godly, self-sufficient, productive members of society, and able to move out of the house.

But I forgot to remember how I came to be in this place of privilege. Reminds me of something I read somewhere….

Deuteronomy 8:7-18 (NLT)

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land

of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills.

It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey.

It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking.

It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills.

When you have eaten your fill,

be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

But that is the time to be careful!

Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God

and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today.

For when you have become full and prosperous

and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else,

be careful!

Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you

from slavery in the land of Egypt.

Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness

with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry.

He gave you water

from the rock!

He fed you

with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors.

He did this to humble you and test you for your own good.

He did all this so you would never say to yourself,

‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’

Remember the Lord your God.

He is the one who gives you power to be successful,

in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

Forgive me, Father. I forgot. I forgot that You sustained me when I was sleep deprived. I forgot that You gave me wisdom when I had no clue how to discipline those kids. I forgot that You taught me how to teach them. I forgot that You provided when the bank account was slim. I forgot that You kept me calm when they struggled with their faith. I forgot that You protected us from ourselves. I was never hungry or without clothes or shelter. I was never alone.

So, here I am, Friends. January 2, 2014 and I need a plan.

I haven’t been into New Year’s Resolutions for some time now, preferring to make goals. I have to admit, though, that I’m kind of afraid of making goals. Well, I take that back. I’m not afraid to make goals. I’m afraid of failing at the goals I make.

Oh my gosh – all of a sudden I’m wondering what I’m doing? Writing all this, knowing I’m going to hit the “Publish” button pretty soon and I’ve bared my soul. Now you all know that Calista’s only definite plan for the day is to get up, make the coffee, and drink it. After that, it's hit-or-miss.

Well, I will hit “Publish” and I want you to know I’ve written in first person on purpose, because this is my problem, not yours. This morning I am only preaching to myself.

I hope it encourages you.

I am thankful for God’s Word and specifically Deuteronomy 8:7-18 (NLT) today. Did you catch all the provisions of God?

A good land

Flowing streams, fountains of water, gushing springs

Lacking nothing, being filled

Having been rescued

Led through the great and terrifying wilderness

(come on now, can anyone else relate here?)

He gave you water

He fed you

He gives you power to be successful

I am undone by the goodness of our God.

And I am finished wasting my time.

I'm getting a plan.

When It's Hard to Not Look Back

2013-12-31T12:02:00.000-06:00

Does so much of the past year beg to be forgotten? Never to be thought of again?

Swept under the rug. Thrown out with the garbage. Burned. Buried.

...in someone else’s yard.

...in a land far, far away.

But, it can’t be truly forgotten. To be truly forgotten would be as if it never happened. However, it cannot be treated as if it never happened, because it has shaped us for the rest of our lives. The hurt, the sadness, the loss, the grief, the anger – no – rage, the loneliness, the emptiness. And the scariest of them all, hopelessness.

I don’t know about you, but it was the hopelessness that threatened to pull me under more than any of the other emotions.

What the past year can be is:
• forgiven
• learned from
• redeemed

I was blown away by a quick look online for the definition of redeem. Want to see it?

REDEEM

1. a. to buy back; repurchase

b. to get or win back

2. to free from what distresses or harms; as...

a. to free from captivity by payment of ransom

b. to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental

c. to release from blame or debt; clear

d. to free from the consequences of sin

3. to change for the better; reform

4. repair, restore

5. a. to free from a lien by payment of an amount secured thereby

b. (1) to remove the obligation of by payment, (2) to exchange for something of value

c. to make good; fulfill

6. a. to atone for; expiate; redeem an error

b. (1) to offset the bad effect of (2) to make worthwhile; retrieve

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redeem

The process of redemption began for me about seven weeks ago; the day my husband moved back in. The day I took a deep breath and a risky faith step.

Together we began to redeem our marriage and our family.

None of this would have been possible without the help of God and knowledge of His redeeming love for each of us.

• God forgave us. We can forgive each other.
• God has mercy on us. We can have mercy on each other.
• God loves us. We can love each other.

We are all going to botch it some days. We all sometimes get the notes wrong.

But the song only goes wrong — when we keep thinking back to the wrong notes.

When a piece starts to fall apart — fall forward. Fall forward into the next bar.

Moving forward is what makes music.

Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience

A conductor chooses the tempo, the ebb and flow, the feel of a certain piece. However, possibly most importantly, he keeps it moving. The goal, in part, is to make it to the finale and leave the audience changed for the better by what they have experienced through the music. If there is a fumbled section, the conductor doesn't stop, he presses on.

You and I are the conductor of our lives. God has a good plan for us, the musical score. We have the privilege and responsibility to choose what we do with the plan and how we react to circumstances. There will most certainly be flubbed sections, phrases stumbled over, wrong notes. We can choose to stop, embarrassed or defeated by the flaws or press through into what’s next. Finish the song. Allow ourselves and those around us to be changed for the better by what they have experienced through the song of our lives.

Oh, how I have missed blogging this year, but I was raw; battle weary.

But, oh, I have scribbled pages and pages of Good News to share with you, my friends. My readers. In fact, I thought of you as I wrote them.

“If I’m going to go through this stinking mess,

someone else has got to get some good out of it!”

Well, guess what? If you’re reading this, it’s your blessed day. And if you continue to read along with me this coming year, you’ll continue to be blessed.

The New Year is only a few hours away and I’m ever so glad to wave good-bye to 2013.

How about you? Has this been a year to forget? How about making it a year to be redeemed? Care to join me in this journey of buying back, releasing, forgiving, rebuilding? Come on, let’s go.

I’m happy to be back. I hope you’re happy about it, too.

--Calista

Imparting Grace

Of Playing Dress Up and Forgetting Not to Blink

2013-10-10T00:47:00.000-05:00

There have been so many years of watching my four girls play dress up. Daughters transformed into princesses simply by putting on a discarded lacy slip or a costume. Tangled hair yanked into submission under the authority of a sparkling headband. A little bit of blush. A touch of lip gloss and let the twirling begin.

It didn't matter there was neither music nor prince. The girls would primp and dance and giggle all for the joy of simply being what they were – little girls playing dress up.

Tonight brought a different kind of dress up. This one was not pretend. One sister a bride.
The other her sister’s bridesmaid. Scraps of cloth are replaced with taffeta and tulle and satin. These gowns are definitely not from the toy box or rescued from the bag of discarded clothing.

I still see the faces of my little girls in these full grown princesses playing dress up. And I always will. It never ceases to amaze me at how quickly it seems the years have flown.

In only six weeks, my third princess daughter will dress up once again. She will be joined by her sisters and friends. There will much primping and twirling and giggling. But this next time, it won’t be a game. There will be music and there will be a prince.

I guess I just needed to get all sentimental for a minute. Seeing them try on their dresses took me back in time and I realized that I forgot not to blink. How does it happen so quickly? The growing up. The getting married. The moving out. Is it really almost here?

Wasn't it just yesterday she got her driver’s license? Or a week ago that she went to camp for the first time? Or only last month that I held her in my arms, a tiny bundle all wiggly and crying?

Don’t blink. Don’t.Ever.Blink.

Coconut Lime Bread

2013-07-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

My, oh my - where have you been all my life?

I don't normally share recipes, but this one is too good to keep to myself. This yummy bread was in the March, 2013 edition of Better Homes and Gardens. I tore the page right out my magazine (yes, I still tear and keep recipes on magazine pages) and put it on the kitchen counter.

Before heading to the store I checked out the recipe to see if I needed to pick up ingredients. Lime marmalade. Everything else I had in my pantry.

Walmart - nope. Target - nope. Trader Joe's - uh uh. World Market - nada.

There was no lime marmalade to be found in my city.

Not to be outwitted, I googled lime marmalade and found a couple sources, but with shipping costs not worth it for a loaf of quick bread.

Next stop, lime marmalade recipes. Sigh - mostly labor intensive and by now I had lost interest. Into the folder of "Recipes To Try" and tucked away on the shelf. (Yes, I still keep recipe pages torn from magazines in folders on my shelf.)

Out of sight, out of mind. Until....

Source

Minding my own business, passing through Osceola MO, sampling a few delicious cheeses in their store I wandered past a shelf full of jams, jellies, preserves, AND marmalade! Could it be true? Yes! The illusive, nowhere-to-be-found lime marmalade right there in little ol' Osceola MO. I snatched up my treasure and took it home.

Now, if only I could find where I put that recipe!

I know, silly, right? If I had "pinned" it or saved it in my recipe box on the Better Homes and Gardens website the recipe would be handy. Or if I organized my folders! Sheesh!

Alright, enough suspense already. Here's the recipe straight from the BHG website:

Coconut-Lime Bread

ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup coconut milk or milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup flaked coconut, toasted

3/4 cup lime marmalade, melted*

1 tablespoon lime marmalade, melted

1/4 cup chip or flake coconut, toasted

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl beat egg with a fork; stir in coconut milk and melted butter. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in 1 cup of toasted flaked coconut.

3. Spoon one-third of the batter into prepared pan. Spoon half of the 3/4 cup marmalade over batter. Repeat with remaining batter and marmalade, ending with batter. Using a thin metal spatula or table knife, swirl the marmalade through the bread.

4. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap with plastic wrap; store at room temperature overnight before slicing.

5. Before slicing, brush top of loaf with 1 Tbsp. melted marmalade. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup toasted coconut.

Melting Marmalade

Spoon marmalade into a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup. Heat 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on 100 percent power, stirring every 30 seconds until marmalade is a spoonable consistency. (If softening only 1 to 2 Tbsp. of marmalade, heat just 20 to 30 seconds.)

Toasting Coconut:

To toast, place coconut in a shallow baking pan. Toast in a 350 degrees F oven 5 to 7 minutes or until it starts to brown, stirring once. Watch carefully, coconut can quickly go from golden to burned.

nutrition facts (Coconut-Lime Bread)

Servings Per Recipe 14, cal. (kcal) 292, Fat, total (g) 12, chol. (mg) 25, sat. fat (g) 9, carb. (g) 45, Monosaturated fat (g) 2, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 0, Trans fatty acid (g) 0, fiber (g) 1, sugar (g) 30, pro. (g) 3, vit. A (IU) 166, vit. C (mg) 1, Thiamin (mg) 0, Riboflavin (mg) 0, Niacin (mg) 1, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0, Folate (µg) 40, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0, sodium (mg) 214, Potassium (mg) 106, calcium (mg) 66, iron (mg) 1, Mark as Free Exchange () 0, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

After popping my loaf into the oven, I finished reading the recipe to find in #4 the part about wrapping it in plastic wrap and letting it sit overnight! What?!? You mean I have to wait until morning?

Here is what the bread looked like after turning it out of the pan.

THIS is what it looked like in the morning after the finishing touches!

Totally worth the wait - believe me!

The texture is similar to cake made from scratch, so moist.

The toasted coconut gave a nutty contrast to the tart lime marmalade laced throughout the bread.

I think it would be equally delicious made with orange marmalade, don't you? Just might have to give it a try.

I hope you enjoyed this tasty journey and didn't ruin your keyboard, tablet, or phone by drooling all over the place.

If you will excuse me,

it is tea-time

at A House and Yard
and I know just what
I'm going to eat!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Linking here:

Home Stories A to Z

Make a Bud Vase / Votive Holder

2013-07-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

My daughter, Steph, and I tackled a little project the other evening.

This is a great way to reuse baby food or other small jars and scrap wood.

We followed this great tutorial, so I'm not going to go into a ton of detail here.

If you want to make your own and have questions, follow the link.

We laid out all our supplies on the dining room table and gave the baby snacks and toys.

This was Steph's first time handling a drill.

Measuring to make sure we had the clamps centered and evenly spaced was a bit tedious.

The little clamps are ready for jars!

Although it can be hung, I opted to prop my new votive holder / bud vase against the wall.

Isn't the little kitty teapot so cute? She's a recent antiquing treasure.

Doesn't it cast some pretty shadows?

I think at some point I will hang it on the back porch, but for now...

...I like it in the kitchen where I can see it most of the day.

My new wall decor is making me smile.

Thank you for stopping by today!!

Linking up here:

Salt Tree, Home Stories A to Z, Kammy's Korner,

Ivy and Elephants, Marty's Musings, Lil' Luna,

Yellow Bliss Road, Elizabeth & Co., Imparting Grace,
Remodelaholic, Happy-Go-Lucky, Cheerios and Lattes, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatortots & Jello, The Vintage Farmhouse

Flower Beds Galore!

2013-07-10T17:09:00.001-05:00

Well, our hot Kansas summer is in full swing and I am allergic to sweating while working in the yard. As a result, my project list has moved back inside.

However, I realized I hadn't updated on the yard projects I started in the spring. So, here you go....

Along the front fence line, where I had planted my grandma's peonies...

...I put these flower beds down to protect them from the lawn mower.

My plan is to add perennials in the fall - daisies, coneflower, stuff like that.

In May, there was a lone peony from my transplants.

I brought some iris bulbs home from my mom's house and planted them along the fence,

as well as some bulbs I dug up from another area of my yard. I have no idea what they are,

so next Spring I hope to have a pretty surprise in this corner of the flowerbed.

The front of the house before flowerbeds....

...and after flowerbeds.

So neat and tidy.

Along the side of the sunroom, I wanted a walkway leading to the cellar.

And here it is.

I have big plans for the area around this tree.

See all those rocks? They were buried in a ring around the tree and I dug every one of them out!

Yes, I actually broke a sweat while working in the yard that day.

I stared at the pile of rocks for a couple weeks, waiting for inspiration,

before finally arranging them around the tree.

It's not real pretty to look at yet.

But, I have a vision.

The process is rarely pretty, is it? Kind of like life.

Here is the vision....

Source

...and here is the future home of my own rock garden.

Thanks for stopping by today at A House and Yard!

How to Make a Brick Walkway

2013-07-04T16:12:00.000-05:00

I am extremely excited to share a big project with you today!

We finally put to use the bricks our neighbor gave us ... for free ... and made a lovely brick walkway out front. I did a little research online before starting, then we jumped on in. Here's how it went.

1. We measured the width and length for the walkway, using stakes and twine to mark the area.

I would recommend deciding on the pattern for your bricks before you decide on the width of your path. This will insure that your bricks will fit inside the designated area.

*ahem* I may or may not have done that myself, but would highly recommend you do it.

2. We went 15 feet out from the bottom of the stairs in order to make a nice boundary for the extra parking. The existing blocks were removed before the digging began.

3. Brian and Silas dug out a nice bed for the walkway. You will want to make it deep enough to make your bricks even with the grass level, so take into account the size of your bricks and the layer of sand you will spread before laying the bricks.

4. After all that digging you should take a break. It's hard work.

5. Before proceeding with the next step, call the crew foreman to inspect your work.

6. To prepare for laying the bricks, spread a nice bed of sand about an inch thick in your path. We worked in sections of about a yard each. As you can see, I placed the bricks fairly close together. Wiggle the bricks into the bed of sand to make them fit securely.

7. Here's a look at the progress. I decided to alternate my main pattern with a random pattern because there weren't enough bricks to do the entire thing with my main pattern. I love the patchwork look!

Continue laying bricks until your new walkway is filled.

8. After we finished laying the bricks, we filled in the sides with dirt. I used a two by four to pack it down tightly.

9. Next, dump generous shovels full of sand on your new fancy walk and rub it in using a broom. The goal is to work in as much sand as possible between the cracks. To aid in settling, after the first layer is done lightly spray with water before applying another layer of sand. This part of the process took quite a while to get enough sand in the cracks, so take your time.

10. We were expecting some rain, so I left plenty of extra sand on the surface.

Over the next couple weeks, I swept more sand into the cracks every few days. The hot summer sun has baked the sand into a nice hard seal around the bricks.

TaDa!!! New brick walkway!

Just for fun I decided to make a raised bed at the end of the walk. It seemed like there needed to be a destination at the end, ya know?

I stacked two layers of these funny-shaped bricks and filled it with potting soil and dirt that was dug out to make way for the brick path.

And now, here are entirely too many pictures of my new brick walkway.

I am totally infatuated!

To me, it looks like the brick walk has been in front of the house since it was first built in 1890!

I hope you find these instructions helpful if you're thinking about installing a brick walkway in your yard. The entire process took several hours of work for three days with my husband, son, and myself doing the labor.

Happy Independence Day!

I will walk about in freedom,

for I have sought out your precepts.

Psalm 119:45 NIV

God Bless America!

Linking to these sites:
Yellow Bliss Road

When A Yard Becomes Holy Ground

2013-06-13T22:09:00.001-05:00

When I visited my mom recently, I had church in her yard. Here are some of my meditations from the last several weeks and a few more pictures of her place.

* * * * * * *

Sitting out here on the glider swing in Mom's yard was all the church I needed that morning.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

Bird song and rustling leaves led the praise.

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and

let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 AMP

The same breeze strumming branches swirled sweet all around me,

incense of wild rose, like the prayers of the saints.

...God has made me forget all my trouble..... God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.

Genesis 41:51-52 NASB

My soul, hungry for that which satisfies forever, finds rich food to be slowly savored.

...those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit

set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

...the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

Romans 8:5-6 AMP

Solitude that could be lonely is my invitation to sit awhile with the Lover of my soul.

Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.

Luke 1:78-79 NLT

My Maker. My Redeemer. The One Who carries me and saves me every day.

Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you!

I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you.

Isaiah 46:4 NASB

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence

and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8-9 NASB

* * * * * * *

I hope you have enjoyed getting a peek at my mom's place as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you.

If you missed the other posts, you can find them here and here.

Stay tuned, because we have been hard at work in our own yard the last couple weeks and I have some fun stuff to show you as soon as I get the mess cleaned up. To give you a little hint, the brick pile is considerably smaller than it was before.

Mom's Spring Flowers

2013-06-08T21:16:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is the first of two photo-driven posts

showing you the lovely views in and around my mom's yard.

This mound is the storm cellar.

The storm cellar is cleverly disguised with iris,....

...peonies, and ground cover.

Here's the broad view of the backyard.

Getting closer to the tree you find an old wash tub brimming with green stuff.

(Guess I should have asked it's name. Some kind of succulent, I think.)

The iron kitty watches over the bluebird house.

One of my favorite spots....

...the swing.

The garden arch supports some pretty clematis.

Oh, look. We have visitors from the neighboring farm.

Hello there, ladies.

A scrap piece of picket fence makes the perfect backdrop for peonies.

This lovely peach iris thrives out back, too.

Mom uses this old treadle sewing machine base as a potting table.

She simply rested the grate on top.

On passed the swing and into the side yard brings us to another flower bed.

Not much was blooming here yet, except these roses.

Another rusty garden surprise rests here.

In front of the house is this long bed with more iris and peony.

One of my favorites!

This entire slope was lifeless until Mom dug out and terraced the space,

moving rocks, and installing boards for a gentle staircase.

Here's the slope from the other side, looking toward the house.

Do you see another rusty treasure? My son, Silas, and his friend, Cameron,

dragged the milk can from the creek near our old house and gave it to her.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace

because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope

through the power of the Holy Spirit. --Romans 15:13 NLT

Kitty and I will see you again real soon.

My Mom's Famous Pink Room

2013-06-06T20:52:00.001-05:00

When I need to run away from home, I go to my mom's.

When I go to my mom's, I get to sleep in the pink room.

Every time I tell my girlfriends about the pink room, they are jealous.

So, this post is for my girlfriends.

(Manly men, beware. This is a very pink post.)

The walls are pink. The floor is pink. The ceiling is...well, pink, of course.

Many of the beautiful things in the room are pink.

The comfy bed is covered with a quilt and the pillowcases....

...were embroidered by my grandma and edged with crochet by my mom.

Is there anything better than sleeping near an open window with a cool breeze blowing?

I have very happy dreams when I sleep in the pink room.

There is a lovely little corner for reading.

Here's a closer look at the shelves and the pink stuff on the shelf.

See the picture on the lower right with the two babies?

That's me and my brother, Ed. (Aren't we so cute?)

Above is my other brother, Paul.

This little treasure is a silhouette of my grandma, Betty.

Kitty cozies up at the doorway.

I hope you enjoyed my little tour of The Pink Room.

The Pink Room isn't the only lovely area at Mom's house.

Mom, who just so happens to be a Master Gardener, also has a beautiful yard.

Not only that, but because she lives in rural Missouri, there are many views that feed the soul.

I'm working on a couple more photo-driven posts to show you Mom's yard.

Much more beauty coming soon!

Thanks for stopping by A House and Yard.

Adventures in Bread Making - to knead or not to knead

2013-04-26T19:59:00.001-05:00

Source

I love the smell and taste of homemade bread. It must be eaten immediately upon coming out of the oven with real butter and honey drizzled on top. However, I rarely make bread because of the time and attention it requires. Also to be considered is the fact that baking during the hot months of the year very rarely happens around here. A benefit to homemade bread is that it's preservative-free and I can control the ingredients.

So, I had some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket and thought it would be fun to have a bread machine.
I queried friends on Facebook and received mostly encouragement to buy one. My friend, Karen, still holds to the old-fashioned way of bread-making and in response to my question about what kind of bread machine people had she quipped, "My bread maker is called Hands. Manufacturer: God." Thanks, Friend.

I went online to shop and read reviews. After finding one in my price range that had excellent reviews I ordered my bread machine and waited eagerly for it to be delivered right to my door. There were visions of tender, flaky, crusty goodness dancing in my head. Well, it has turned into one of those "it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time" moments.

This isn't meant to be a product review, so the bread machine shall hereby remain anonymous.

The morning after it's arrival I gathered my ingredients, carefully followed the directions in the manual, and pushed start. I watched fascinated as the little paddles turned the dough this way and that. It was quiet and efficient. Peeking in again revealed a perfectly shaped loaf of rising bread dough! Soon the house filled with the scent promising deliciousness coming our way! In anticipation I laid out the butter dish and cute little honey bear. Finally, the machine beeped incessantly signalling completion of the baking process and I bolted for the kitchen to reveal the fruit of it's labor.

It didn't take long to see there was a problem.

Uhhh - this is NOT how a loaf of homemade bread is supposed to look.

(Sorry for the yucky cell phone pictures.)

Turning to the troubleshooting section in the manual revealed a couple adjustments I could make in the recipe in the event of bread that sinks while baking. Making those adjustments, I started over.

Hmmmm....

Loaf number two.

Really now? I've been making bread since I was a little girl. My mom makes bread by hand. My grandma made bread by hand. Never in my entire life have I ever seen a sunken loaf of homemade bread!

Before embarking on loaf number three I turned to the internet for advice. Making more simple changes, I tried again. Same thing! (Sorry, no pictures of this one. But you get the idea. It looked exactly the same as the other two.)

Granted, all three loaves tasted delicious. The texture was perfect. The crust was nicely browned and not too crunchy. I cut off the peaks and we enjoyed slices of bread about two-thirds the size of a regular slice.

If any of you more experienced bread machine users have words of wisdom I would certainly be obliged. I'm not giving up. This is a thing to be mastered.

Good thing I have tons of yardwork to do. I'll need something to burn off the increased intake of carbs this quest is bound to entail.

Wanted: More Grace, More Peace

2013-04-21T16:29:00.002-05:00

This post has been unwritten in my brain for weeks - no - months. And it's part of the reason why I haven't written much this winter.

You know how when you are supposed to say something, but you don't, then the thing you're trying not to talk about won't ever leave your mind?

Why haven't I written about it? Because it's my sadness and my emotion and my struggle. It's too much about my life, too personal, and I have trouble talking about those things.

However, I realize it's not so much my sadness I need to tell you, but rather God's word and comfort to me. To you. So....,

What To Do When the Thing You Didn't Want to Happen Happens

(probably the longest title ever for a devotion )

When our oldest daughter and her husband excitedly told us they wanted to move to another state, another city three hours away AND take our grandchildren with them I was less that pleased. Honestly, I was speechless and hurt. We are a close family, get along better than most, and our lives are happily entwined. Why would they want to leave?

However, they felt the call of God and made the necessary preparations. A job was found in the new city that "just so happened" to have a branch in our area, so Patrick could transfer whenever they sold their house. The house went on the market, was sold after several months, then they found a lovely house close to his work. For the most part, things just fell into place. It's hard to argue with the call and provision of God on someone else's life...no matter how it might make you feel.

When their house sold days before Thanksgiving last year, it was a done deal. They were definitely moving away.

Facing the inevitable, my heart was broken. I had to ask God, "Okay, how am I supposed to be? How can I do this? I need to - I want to - help, but the thought of them all moving away makes me incredibly sad to the point of feeling sick."

My kind, heavenly Father's word back to me was, "Be like David." That's all. Just be like David.

Be like David? Be like David? My mind rapidly scanned countless Old Testament stories of King David and stopped at this one - when what he didn't want to happen happened.

His little son was sick. Very, very sick. David prayed. He cried out to God. He fasted. Continually night and day for a week. His servants were worried for his own health, but he sent them away. After a time, the report came. His son was dead.

Baffling everyone, David got up, washed, changed his clothes, went to the tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. Returning home, he asked for food and ate. When questioned about his actions he replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:22-23 NLT)

Basically, David simply made the effort to move on even though the very thing he asked God to prevent from happening happened.

This realization filled me with a level of peace in our situation that I hadn't known before. David moved on. I needed to move on and stop thinking about myself. God's grace enabled me to put a smile on my face, listen to their excitement, and not burst into tears. It was settled, the house was sold, and they were going to leave town. I was still sad to see them go, but no longer crippled with depression. I was able to face my daughter and son-in-law with a glad heart and willingness to help them accomplish their goal.

Part of helping them accomplish their goal meant they lived with us while they were between houses. Yes, their house here in town was sold, but they didn't have a house to move to! Oh, and did I forget to mention, their baby was due three weeks after the first of the year?

To make a long story short:

They closed on their house here in town two days after Christmas and moved in with us a few days later.
They closed on their new house on the baby's due date, January 18.
Baby was born one week later (a thrilling home water birth!), January 26.
The next weekend, my mom and I went to their new house to paint and clean.
We helped them move to their new home two weeks after the baby was born. They had lived with us six weeks.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need.

My power works best in weakness.”

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ can work through me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

God is faithful. When I chose His way rather than despair, I received more grace to do what needed to be done. When I admitted my complete inability to handle the situation, God gave me the strength to not only help my kids, but be an example for others.

May God give you more and more grace and peace

as you grow in your knowledge of

God and Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:2 NLT

Yes, thank you, I will take it. How about you? Could you use more and more of God's grace and peace in your life? When have you experienced His help in a difficult situation?

Time to Work in the Yard

2013-04-18T17:38:00.000-05:00

A recent torrential downpour, although welcome, identified a problem to be solved in the yard.

The rain runs down the roof, through the downspout, and onto the roof over the back porch....

....making a small pond right here...,

...then flowing along the side of the sunroom creating a small gully and exposing tree roots.

Time to put these bad boys to work!

Our neighbor purchased pallet loads of bricks and pavers at an auction for a buck a pallet.

He very generously offered them to us if Brian would load and take them away himself!

He didn't need to offer twice.

We also have a couple pieces of flagstone. This one has been standing at the front corner of the house since before we moved.

The other one is already part of the walk, under these bags of mulch.

The project list includes replacing the gully with bricks, pavers, and ground cover.

Brian will reroute the downspout in the back and build an extension to the back deck that will have gravel underneath to more effectively soak up the water and cover the muddy spot.

We will also use the bricks to make a new sidewalk to and from the front parking area...,

...as well as borders for flower beds by the porch.

I can not even begin to tell you how delighted I was to find bare dirt, good soil under the leaves I raked away a couple weeks ago. Last fall it was grass covered and I was dreading digging it out.

The current sidewalk is a bit wonky, so we'll be straightening that out.

The porch is going to get a facelift, too. Well, not a full-blown facelift, let's call it a touch up.

Old Dresser + Chalk Paint = TV Stand

2013-04-09T14:12:00.000-05:00

Here is my latest project....

I started with this little gem that was rejected and stored in the shed loft.

One of the top drawers was broken, so I removed them both to make room for electronic gadgets.

After removing the drawer pulls, I gave it a good cleaning before applying the chalk paint.

The chalk paint recipe I use is this:

3 parts latex paint (I have found a paint with primer works best)

1 part plaster of paris (diluted with an equal amount of hot water)

For example, if I use 1 1/2 cups paint, I would need 1/2 cup plaster of paris that has been diluted with 1/2 cup hot water. Mix these together thoroughly and you're ready to paint!

For this job I only needed two coats. I like to use a foam roller for the larger flat surfaces and a brush for the corners and curvy places.

When the paint was dry I protected the surface with SC Johnson Paste Wax. If you can't wait to wax, you may end up rubbing off some of your paint, giving it a light distressed look. By giving it some time to dry the paint should stay in place. I think I waited about 30 minutes after it appeared to be dry before waxing. There was one small edge where the paint rubbed off a tiny bit.

The color is Valspar's Rattan Palm. Because of the chalk paint mixture, it turned out a bit lighter than the actual paint. I covered the inside with a neutral paint sample I found on the oops-paint shelf.

Brian drilled some holes for wires.

We braced the shelf where the dvd player and Wii will sit with a couple boards from the scrap pile. Brian cut them to fit and we glued them to the sides of the dresser and under the shelf.

Okay - here is what the TV sat on before....

...all chrome and glass contemporary-ness that I never really liked.

Here it is today!

I love how the gadgets rest so neat and tidy inside the cubby.

The drawers are filled with remotes, game controllers, games, manuals, and other assorted junk no one ever wants to look at everyday! The color is about three shades darker than the walls, so blends in nicely.

This project cost me less than $20!

I'm such a geek I just sat on the couch without the TV on to stare it for awhile.

So pretty.

P.S. Did you notice the little boo-boo I made? I thought it was so hilarious I decided to leave it and see if anyone points it out.

Thanks for stopping by today!
Calista @ A House and Yard

Calista @ A House and Yard

Hibernation is Officially Over

2013-03-16T17:43:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm up! I'm up!

I decided that I must have been hibernating....

Source

hibernate

1. To pass the winter in a dormant or torpid state.

2. To be in an inactive or dormant state or period.

The word dormant stood out to me, so I checked that one, too.

dormancy

state of reduced metabolic activity adopted by many organisms

under conditions of environmental stress or, often, as in winter,

when such stressful conditions are likely to appear.

Ah, there it is. Dormancy due to stress.

This winter was stressful, not bad really, just stressful. Even though things have been settled for a month or so, I haven't been able to do much of anything beyond the minimum that was expected of me.

I don't mean to be cryptic, but in order to keep this post from turning into a long, drawn out saga of my life since last Thanksgiving (I know, you can thank you me later), let me simply say that now I am awake. Spring beckons. Time to throw open the windows and air out the house.

I'll be talkin' to ya later! Good to be back online.

Books as Companions

2013-01-09T21:42:00.002-06:00

Not feeling well today, so back in bed at eleven in the morning. Sore throat. Sinus pressure. Yuck.

I will say, though, it's nice to be alone up here in my room in the middle of the day with some items I have come to count as dearest companions - my Bible, journal, daily devotion book, thankful journal, and a collection of gel pens.

Currently, I am reading Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. Filled with lovely little reminders of God's presence and His love for me, this daily devotional helps focus my thoughts either to start my day right or rest peacefully during the night.

Also by my side today is God's Wisdom for a Mother's Heart, by Bobbie Wolgemuth. This has provided hours and hours of conversation starters for the bi-monthly mentoring group I help lead at my church. Though only 128 pages in length, we have used this book for more than a year. The girls in Moms to Moms meet the first and second Wednesday nights of the month, a sort of round-table, open forum where no topic is off limits, but mostly parenting and reassuring that they're going to make it. We study the Word, pray, laugh, cry, teach each other, and we are all growing.

My co-leaders and I agree these young ladies with their children around them are our heroes. Represented are single and married moms, working outside and inside their homes, public/private/homeschooling moms...you name it, we've got it. This is one group we hate to miss. A gift from God. Truly.

My thankful journal is simply a little leather-bound book where I record the gifts God has given me. Eucharisto. Thanks. One Thousand Gifts. 10,000 reasons. Why write them down? Because I dare not forget the goodness of God. In the remembering and the acknowledging I am overwhelmed with reassurance that God is my provider, comforter, healer, friend, joy, strength, and so much more. I am much less likely to lose my focus and wander if I am remembering God's deeds and giving thanks.

Last, but certainly not least, is my personal journal. It may as well be my heart on paper. This is where it all comes pouring forth to be sorted, processed, saved or discarded. You know, keep the good and throw out the chaff. That's what the journal is for - it is fearsome, yet necessary. Necessary for me anyways.

There are a few more books I could talk about. Don't know about you, but I read several at once. These I mentioned were simply the lucky ones to be carried into the sick bed with me today.

Do you have reading materials you count as "dearest companions"? What are they and why are they special to you?

December In A Nutshell

2012-12-29T14:30:00.000-06:00

I had such aspirations for December....

Oh well, let's not dwell on it, okay? Here's a few little updates.

Early in the month I visited my mom and we found ourselves in Warsaw, MO. Ohhhh - the shops, the food, the small town sights, the sunset! Lovely!

Isn't this a stunning painted lady?

I have a faint memory of driving over this swinging bridge while on a family trip to the Ozarks when I was a little girl.

This side table begged to come home with me. At only six bucks, how could I say no? It just needs a bit of love!

This was the view Mom and I enjoyed at the end of our visit to Warsaw....

Sometimes -
no
words
are
needed....

Here's my first try at chalkboard art on my newly installed magnetic chalkboard in the kitchen. I figured I better get a picture of it quick before I erase it for a New Year's message.

The sunroom has carpet!! Yea - it's like a real room now!

Not only that, but the first snow of the season came the same day!

Christmas was family-full and happy.

Best wishes to you and yours!

Custom Pantry 3

2012-12-04T22:01:00.002-06:00

Alrighty! Last week I showed you the progress on my new pantry and it looked like this....

Remember how I promised to show you my big idea for inside the panels? Magnetic chalkboards!

After doing the research I decided against the magnetic paint offered by a big name paint. The reviews kind of made me nervous; there weren't enough happy reviewers.

Not knowing exactly what I would find, I headed to Lowe's for sheet metal and chalkboard paint. I found a couple knowledgeable staff people and came home with my supplies: 4 squares of sheet metal, double-stick mounting tape, and chalkboard paint.

I had already measured the panels, but did it again just to be sure, fixed myself a mocha, turned on the Christmas music, then got to work.

The metal was easy to cut using tin snips. I had to roll the unwanted piece up and away from the panel in order to cut all the way up.

Probably would have been a good idea to wear gloves.

After cutting all the panels I moved outdoors to smooth the edges. I did this with a small, handheld metal file. I also tapped lightly along the edges with a hammer to flatten those areas that became notched from the snips.

Back inside and time to paint. The paint guy at Lowe's recommend that I prime the metal before using the chalkboard paint, which I did. Then, I applied three coats of chalkboard paint. The paint dried quickly, so this took hardly any time at all. Truthfully, it was fully covered after two coats, but I thought three might last longer if we were going to do a lot of writing and erasing.

When the paint was fully dry, it was time to attach the panels to the pantry. I elected to use double-stick mounting tape rather than glue in case I didn't want the panels on my pantry forever-and-ever-amen. This way I can remove them fairly easily if I decide to do so.

The double-stick mounting tape went on the wood first and after revealing the sticky side, c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y I pressed the painted metal panel to the pantry starting at the bottom and working my way up.

One of my panels went on alittle cockeyed for some reason and I had quite a time pulling it off for repositioning. The metal is thin, bending easily and the tape is super sticky, so I ended up with a slight bump. If you try this, make certain of your position before pressing to attach the panel.

On this side, I only used the metal panels in the middle section. I applied the chalkboard paint directly to the primed wood of the lower sections.

I like the contrast of the black paint and the red cabinet.

Still to be done to call this project finished are handles for the large pull-out shelves and some trim. Guess I'll have to write another update!

Custom Pantry 1
Custom Pantry 2

* * * * * * * * *

And now for this commercial message.... If you like my pantry and need some cabinets, let me know. My son-in-law, Adam, is in the custom cabinet making business and would be glad to talk to you about your kitchen cabinet, bathroom vanity, and/or furniture needs.

* * * * * * * * *

Thank you for stopping by A House and Yard!

Custom Pantry 2

2012-11-25T20:25:00.000-06:00

Here is a little teaser update on the pantry project.

See the first part here.

I used the leftover product from my first round of cabinet refinishing - Rust-oleum Cabinet Transformations in Cabernet. The only difference was I needed to prime the pantry first since it was raw wood. It's a perfect color match to the cabinets I finished last year!

All surfaces are painted, glazed, and protected.

Oh - why are there still white panels on this side and splotchy on the other? I am so glad you asked! But, I'm not going to tell you. Although I will show you this....

Any guesses as to what's up my sleeve? I suppose you'll just have to come back for another update.

I hope you and yours had a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving holiday.

We had a houseful and enjoyed the most excellent weather.

I think this face pretty much sums up the joy of the day!

See you again soon! Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2012-11-22T09:22:00.001-06:00

Oh yes, make no mistake. I am giving thanks this day to God

for all He has so richly provided in our lives!

I am also thankful for Looney Tunes...

Enjoy!

Kitchen Update: Custom Pantry

2012-11-21T23:27:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! Today I've been cooking and getting ready for tomorrow's Thanksgiving family get-together. Weather forecast is fabulous, so the day will certainly include a fair amount of football throwing and basketball shooting. Personally, I like to go for the mid-afternoon walk so I can have another slice of pie.

The big news, though? There is a beautiful piece of cabinetry in my kitchen and I have another project to share with you. My son-in-law, Adam, built a pantry for us and installed it a couple nights ago.

Here is where it belongs and what it looked like before installation.

At dusk, the guys carefully lifted it and....

carried it on inside.

They stood it up and maneuvered it into place.

And here it stands!

There are pull out shelves on the side,....

...as well as loads of storage space on top.

Wasn't it a great idea for my daughter to marry a talented cabinet builder?

I will finish it using the same product I used on the existing cabinets. In case you missed that saga, read about it here. I anticipate having a much smoother time with this project and have already tested the finish on a couple squares of scrap lumber from the pantry project.

While so many of you are out and about shopping this weekend - or napping to recover from your shopping - I will be finishing the pantry. Watch for the update next week!

Praise the LORD!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 106:1 NLT

Mustache Bash Baby Shower

2012-11-15T17:33:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday was a big day at our house.

To celebrate the coming of my oldest daughter's fifth baby, but first boy baby, we threw a

Mustache Bash Baby Shower

A quick Google and Pinterest search brought up scores of great ideas.

Here is the invitation I made using PhotoBucket.

I simply uploaded a blank jpeg to this online photo editing program and

had a blast using their free tools to make it pretty.

Please excuse the unattractive areas where I covered our personal info,

but you get the idea.

Games & Activities

Everyone filled out one of these I made and printed up on cardstock.

We played Name That 'Stache....

How many can you guess?

...and Pin the 'Stache on the Baby.

Besides mustaches we had cut outs of bowties and hats.

Funny how the mustaches ended up in the bowtie spot.

Decorations

Little Man Onsie Banner

I printed images found online to iron-on transfer fabric, then applied them to onsies.

They are hung on heavy yarn with clothes pins.

Bowler Hat Mobile

This plastic bowler came from U.S. Toy and cost around a buck.

Again, yarn and construction paper shapes for fun.

My son attached it to the beam using sticky tack.

Food

Okay - you're going to have to forgive me, but I had an epic blogger fail.

There are no pictures of the food! What was I thinking?

Well - I wasn't thinking. I was busy.

Anyway...here is a description of what we ate:

mustache-shaped sugar cookies decorated with green sugar crystals or chocolate sprinkles
mustache-shaped chocolate lollipops
popcorn tossed with crumbled chocolate chip cookies, green M & M's,

all drizzled with melted white chocolate & allowed to cool
crackers and mustache-shaped cheese (I used the cookie cutters to cut the cheese slices)
bbq sauce soaked l'il smokies

Pictures

Of course, we took lots of pictures (just not of the food apparently).

We had props available for the photo shoot:

mustaches on stewers, funny glasses, a cane, and a couple hats.

Hope you don't mind looking at pictures of my family and friends! :-)

Here's the lovely momma-to-be, my daughter, Sarah.

I was totally excited to find this frame at Goodwill for $5!

It has a brown velvet ribbon around the center and fancy curlicues in the corners!

I feel another project coming on....

My Dad and Sarah

Sisters!

No, the party didn't get too wild. This is our bonus-daughter who stopped in on her way to work.

Baby's Grandma, Cousin and Aunt

The little ones are Sarah's three oldest girls.

Me and my friend.

My sis-in-law & my stepmom - Baby's Gigi :-)

And here are just a few of our friends...

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you enjoyed the party.

Linking to:

A House and Yard

I Have Moved!

The Jesus Character

Do You Need A Better Plan?

When It's Hard to Not Look Back

Of Playing Dress Up and Forgetting Not to Blink

Coconut Lime Bread

Make a Bud Vase / Votive Holder

Flower Beds Galore!

How to Make a Brick Walkway

When A Yard Becomes Holy Ground

Mom's Spring Flowers

My Mom's Famous Pink Room

Adventures in Bread Making - to knead or not to knead

Wanted: More Grace, More Peace

Time to Work in the Yard

Old Dresser + Chalk Paint = TV Stand

Hibernation is Officially Over

Books as Companions

Top Posts - 2012 in Review

December In A Nutshell

Custom Pantry 3

Custom Pantry 2

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kitchen Update: Custom Pantry

Mustache Bash Baby Shower