Tukes Makes A Plan

I don't want a Chwismas twee... I want a fur twee {as opposed to the more traditional fir tree}. We can put gumdwops on it and 'den we can bake da Chwismas pudding.

And so we shall!

God, Who Allots My Portion

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
You have made my lot secure.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
Psalm 16:5-6

A Heart of Gratitude

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;

His love endures forever.

Psalm 118:1

"...let the thankful heart sweep through the day
and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find,
in every hour, some heavenly blessings!"
Henry Ward Beecher

Celebrating November

Drawing inspiration from an ad Boo spotted in the newspaper, the boys and I spent some time baking and prototyping our Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes this morning. Decorating these jolly gobblers will keep the hands {and lips} of the four boy cousins busy this Thursday morning. Methinks our "feathered" friends will also provide incentive for certain little guys to eat their Thanksgiving dinner!

The weather has been perfectly Thanksgiving'ish this week... chilly, damp, and gray all scented with woodsmoke and foliage. Quiet mists have kept us indoors where we've enjoyed a stack of library books including Cynthia Rylant's delightful picture book In November which keenly captures these tawny, burnished days of late autumn...

In November, the smell of food is different. It is an orange smell. A squash and a pumpkin smell. It tastes like cinnamon and can fill up a house in the morning, can pull everyone from bed in a fog. Food is better in November than any other time of the year.

In November, people are good to each other. They carry pies to each other's homes and talk by crackling woodstoves, sipping mellow cider.

They travel very far on a special day just to share a meal with one another and to give thanks for their many blessings -- for the food on their table and the babies in their arms.

And then they travel back home.

In November, at winter's gate, the stars are brittle. The sun is a sometime friend. And the world has tucked her children in, with a kiss on their heads, till spring.

At The Creek

Christ, My Defense

O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;

You have redeemed my life.

Lamentations 3:58

Hello Green Club Chair...

It didn't take much to make you mine, but, oh, how you make me smile. You're a bit worn and a tad frumpy, but so very comfy. You're not a label-bearing original, but you're a pretty good impersonator.

You add a nice splash of color to the living room. Yes, I think we'll spruce you up a bit and keep you and love you. Welcome home dear rescued chair.

{See Mama... she is the color of our old green velvet couch!}

Half-Baked

A half-baked idea is okayas long as it's in the oven.Author Unknown

I've got the first half of this pregnancy under my belt now... {literally}. I guess you could say the baby is half-baked. Here's the baby bump so far... I know, I'm kind of a late bloomer.

What else is half-baked? Well, earlier this week Tukes asked me, "How wong are we gonna keep dat baby?" Hmmm, I'd say his new sibling acceptance level is only half-baked. He'll get there.

And the bathrooms, they are certainly half-baked. The master bathroom debacle has escalated into a double bathroom debacle. Between the two rooms we have a single working toilet in one while the other bathroom is home to the only working shower and sink. A corner of my bedroom has become a landing point for such things as a 1980's vanity mirror, clothes hamper, and assorted plant stands while the rest of the house is littered with tiny shreds of dated wallpaper. All in the name of progress my friends.

I suppose we must all be half-baked before we're fully baked but as long as everything is in the oven half-baked is okay.

Cloudy Day Carnival

Secondhand Mod

The professor visited the university's surplus property sale this morning.

On this day it seems he has found a walnut mod'ish club chair for ten dollars.

This news caused me take a mental inventory of all the secondhand, mod'ish furniture in our house...

Ninety-nine percent of it, to be exact, is of the "rescued" variety. Not bad.

I think we may have acquired a "new" chair today... upholstered in green wool.

Well, at least the color will suit the holiday season!

{Pictured... Lengthening shadows and the black fiberglass Eames chair in our living room. The acquisition of this particular chair involved a dumpster and my furniture-loving husband.}

And there you have it... some not-so-glamorous glimpses of our {secondhand} mod'ish life.

Pork Ragu...

Or, two ways to enjoy one pork loin.

Night One: Cook your pork loin as desired, making sure it's tender and juicy. Serve with cheese grits and sauteed greens. Some cornbread wouldn't be bad either. This is southern tried, true, and delicious!

Night Two: Shred the leftover pork. Saute chopped onions, garlic, and zucchini in olive oil until tender. Add one can of diced tomatoes and one can of tomato sauce. Stir in a pinch of sugar along with some basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary {or whatever suits your fancy}. Don't forget a splash of red wine if you have it. Add the shredded meat and simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta with a dusting of parmesan. Rosemary focaccia is a very nice compliment for a rustic, homey, and comforting meal.

If you have room for dessert then by all means enjoy Ina Garten's Apple and Pear Crisp. The world will be a deliciously happy place, I promise.

Wow, after nineteen weeks of simply surviving in the kitchen it's nice to be enjoying my food again!

God, Our Refuge

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27

Morning Smile

Here's wishing you a weekend full of happiness, smiles, and all that brings delight.

A New Ride

Baby now has an {almost} brand new set of wheels.

Today's thrift store find... $20!

God lovingly reveals Himself to me in His tender way...

By unexpectedly providing a desire of my heart... Priceless!

I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.

Psalm 13:6

An Unlikely Face Cleanser

A few weeks ago, on a whim, I decided to try cleaning my face naturally like Simple Mom... she calls it the oil cleansing method. Cooler weather and pregnancy were causing dry skin so I knew that I needed the extra moisture, but I was skeptical...

Not any longer. I've converted!

Cozy, Rainy Day

What happens when a tropical storm blows through town bringing all manner of wind and rain? A girl and her littlest man enjoy the coziness of home all day long. Legos, games, books, hot chocolate, and a nap... it's been a nice day.

Now that big brother is home from school we've settled in with a video {the boys}, sewing {me}, homemade focaccia bread and pork ragu {dinner}, and the anticipation of tomorrow's day off from school. Sometimes a girl can't help but love a rainy day.

The Kitchen, Again

From "It's beautiful!" to "It looks like a magazine spread." you guys offered the sweetest, most thoughtful comments on our shiny, new kitchen... a kitchen that I can hardly believe is mine! Thank you!

A few of you asked if I had a "before" picture of the kitchen. Certainly you'd think that we, being somewhat seasoned home renovators, would be in the habit of documenting every stage of a home renovation, sadly we have a terrible track record of diving into a project without taking any "before" photos.

Here are a few glimpses of the kitchen in its original state, as well as a few photos of it while in process. You may remember, the counters were a salmony orange color, complete with scorch marks. The wallpaper was a pastel Aztec'ish print with paneling under it. The oak cabinets were stained a very honey-orange'ish color and had no hardware on them. The appliances were either old {dishwasher and microwave} or a non-standard size {stove}.

The stainless steel work table, which serves as an island, is from Sam's.

The wall color is Sherwin-Williams' "Useful Gray" {see right side of above photo}.

The counters are a premium laminate with a texture and sheen from Lowe's.

The appliances {stove, dishwasher, microwave} are Whirlpool, which I recommend.

The refrigerator is a Kitchenaid Superba. It came with the house and I do not recommend it!

The cabinets are original, simply painted white semi-gloss. Again, Sherwin-Williams paint.

The cabinet hardware is from Lowe's or Home Depot, can't remember.

The Kohler sink is porcelain coated cast iron.

The faucet is by Moen.

The white subway tile is the cheapest ceramic wall tile you can buy at Home Depot... it looks great!

After I posted about the master bathroom debacle, Val, an architectural historian {what a cool job!}, requested to see photos of the wallpaper. Here you go, Val... iridescent pastel stripes on top with country flowers underneath. I think the professor is going to have to rent or buy a steamer to get it off the walls! Does anyone have any wallpaper stripping tips or techniques?

Christ, Our Rescuer

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,

and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13-14

Remembering and Looking Forward

Baby Boo at six months, nine months, and twelve months.

Baby Tukes at birth, four months, and twelve months.

I spent a lot of time this week fondly remembering... thinking back to when my babies were babies.

We took our first peak at Baby this week. Filled with awe and so in love I've also spent time eagerly looking forward to when this little one will not only fill our hearts, but our arms.

New Brotherhood, January 2006

Yes, there will be adjustments and {many} rough days... this I know.

But, with God's grace we'll figure our way into becoming a family of five...

One of my all time favorite family moments captured with the lens, Spring 2006.

And, find those simple, happy moments wrapped up in our days and nights.


These are the special ones who make my life beautiful...

As beautiful as green leaves bathed in the light of the rising sun.

Morning Play

This morning Tukes amused himself with an old carpet remnant. There are many creative things that can be done with such...

Tukes built a diving board and in so doing keenly reminded me of a day, once upon a time ago, when his mother performed a canon ball off of the family sofa.

{A moment in my history that is neither shining nor graceful.}

Thankfully, when it comes to sofa-diving, Tukes seems to be a little wiser than his mother...

He didn't actually take the plunge!

Kitchen Art

I think we would agree, the new kitchen is rather monochromatic. And while the professor and I do prefer a base pallet of warm grays some punches of color are absolutely essential.

Bingo! I realized yesterday that our young modernist's award-winning painting is just the ticket.

Ahhh, a splash of color. Much better.

I think we have an extra black Ribba frame in the attic. Even better!

The Kitchen, Shiny and New

Renovations complete, except for the floors which we'll tackle when we put in new flooring throughout the house. Do not let these photos lull you into any false perceptions... my kitchen is rarely this neat, clean, and clutter-free.