Be Aware....

I normally don't post about this kind of stuff, but, I feel VERY strongly about all this mis-information regarding the Swine Flu/H1N1 vaccine.

PLEASE read this information and watch the video on this link. Protect yourselves and your family and friends by not blindly trusting the "powers that be" who make these decisions and bypass the very important trial and testing of the vaccine.

http://articles.mercola.com/swine-flu-article/20091027.htm

Enough said...

Have a happy day!

Front Door Makeover!

Little boys and dirty fingers and white front doors don't mix...

I've been thinking about repainting my front door for a while. It was on my project list for the summer, but I didn't get to it till September. (Hey technically it WAS done before summer was over!)

BEFORE

AFTER!



I picked the same color as the hallway wall, just got the exterior paint.
Here is 2 coats. I ended up doing 3.


I love the details on the door now....not so much when they were white.

BEFORE (notice the bench...details coming later)

AFTER



BEFORE (further away)


AFTER

BEFORE - The bench, in such a sorry state! I recently found some pictures of it new! It must be about 8 years old. Sitting outside in the elements has really done some damage. Nothing a little spray paint can't fix!

AFTER

I just sprayed the sides with black Rustoleum spray paint and brush painted on the same exterior paint as I used on the front door. I was done in under 30 minutes!


The old milk can....

This came from the town I was in born in, Hilversum, in Holland.

Talk about rusty!





You can barely make out the word "Hilversum"

I sprayed it with Rustoleum hammered finish

Unbelievable!


A fresh coat of paint does wonders!

I'm linking to DIY at A Soft Place to Land

The Hallway

I'm finally blogging again!

It's been a short and busy summer and I haven't been motivated enough to blog.

But I'm back!

I've been wanting to update our hallway in so long. The 80's wallpaper wasn't doing it for me, decor-wise.

Taking the wallpaper off in this house is quite a process. It's very thick and has two layers. At long last it's removed to uncover some "not so lovely" sponge paint. (rather reminiscent of the bathroom sponge paint job)

I chose this color because I love it and it's the same color as the dupioni silk curtains in the living and dining room. A great, warm accent color...

I have, since then, also painted the stairs going up to the school room this color as well as the front door.

Pictures to come...I have one more coat to paint on the front door.

Hopefully, I'll get to that tomorrow!

Little Bear dressed up

Daddy calls L4 "Bear"
Bear likes to dress up.





If they could only stay so little!

Spring Soccer is over...

L4's team of hooligans. Undefeated, once again.

On the move.

Daddy coached L2 and L3 again this Spring.

I follow only one blog very closely...www.thepioneerwoman.com and she had a link to this new T shirt company which I have fallen in love with!!

http://www.wildolivetees.com/

It has Bible verses on them, and they are so well done and cute!

They are offering free shipping through the end of the month. Check them out!

I'm hoping for some free shirts!

What a great way to display your faith....

Time for a change...

I've got the "itch" for change again. I recently visited sister-in-law Linda and loved how she is re-arranging her home to welcome her new little one.

It's so fun to change a room around. I have MANY memories of coming home from school to a "new" house. I think I caught your bug, Mom!

We recently had our community group over for Bible Study. We literally doubled in number at our last meeting and the flow of the living room felt all wrong for the amount of people we had. It has bothered me for some time and today was the day to fix it! Plus, it requires some deep cleaning. Lotsa dust bunnies, marbles, cars, toys, did I mention dust bunnies? It's amazing what one finds under and behind things. Oh, and a paper airplane!

The boys helped me move the piano. That thing is SO heavy, but they are strong together.

The living room is such a large space and can be arranged several ways. We love our large round table. It is often a place where we play games or make large puzzles. Half of our furniture are "hand me downs" from Mom and Dad, beautiful antiques which really fill the space nicely.

Here are some before and after pics.... (sorry, the ambience is really different between the two, the after pics are taken during daylight hours)

Before

After

Before

After




Before


After

I'm happy. Of course, now there are decorative "holes" to fill. I think I'm going to paint a picture...

L2...The Sketcher

Every so often L2 just needs to express himself with art. You can tell because he gets kinda cranky. Mama has to remind him to get a pencil and a piece of paper.
It really helps him.

This is a collage he made a few months ago from magazine clippings on a canvas board.

His inspiration was 3 different animals. I love how he gets inspired and than makes them his own.

I love my boy!