Back Where I Come From--Part 1--Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Finally!! We are all moved in our new home and couldn't be happier.  It is absolutely, without a doubt my dream home.  We decided to build on a 2.5 acre lot that is right across the highway from where I grew up! It's the perfect spot, we see deer in the mornings and afternoons, take afternoon runs by cows and horses, and have wide open spaces to play in the yard! However, it is only about 5 minutes from Walmart and McDonalds!!

 Our style is Cottage Rustic with a little Junk Gypsy inspiration! You'll notice that in every room in my house I have at least one scripture. Learning scripture, knowing it, hiding it in our hearts is so important to me. I want to instill that importance into my children. I want them to see and hear God's word when they are faced with temptations. I want to see and hear God's word when I'm faced with temptations. I also want my house guests to know that I love God. That He is the most important part of our family. Deuteronomy 6 tells us to keep God's words on our heart, talk about them, teach them, at night and in the morning, bind them to our hand and forehead, and write them on the doorposts and gates of our houses. God wants us to know His word and to share it.

Lila Grace's Room

I chose soft pink and turquoise for Little Miss Priss's room. I incorporated the rustic feel by using some barnwood frames, an old metal end table, and a vintage mirror. I painted her bed, dresser, and mirror using my favorite, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White! Then I replaced the knobs with rustic turquoise knobs from Hobby Lobby. Her bedding and rug are both from Pottery Barn, as well as the chandelier! The bookshelves are actually spice racks from Ikea, which I painted with ASCP also! I made all of the wall art. For the printed pieces I used Photoshop and Mod Podge!

On the bookshelves below, I carefully chose books that are special to us! Some were mine when I was little, like We Help Daddy and The Little House and some were Hannah's like Fancy Nancy and Alligator Sue.

Ty Brownd's Room and Bathroom

Ty got to have his own room and bathroom because he's a boy, and let's face it, boys are gross! His room is decorated with sports and duck hunting, while his bathroom is decorated in a fishing theme. We had the contractor hang barnwood on one wall in his room to give his room an even more rustic feel.  His bedding is also from Pottery Barn. I painted his bed and "book shed" (as he calls it) using Annie Sloan Graphite. The mounted ducks on the wall were the first ducks Brett killed as a little boy. Maybe this year, Ty can add his own ducks to the wall.

"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Oh how I pray that my kids will follow Him.

My mom had these fishing pictures that she had cross-stitched, so she let me have them for Ty's bathroom. I love what the blue one says. "God grant that I may live to fish until my dying day, and when it comes to my last cast I then most humble pray, When in the Lord's safe landing net, I'm peacefully asleep. That in His mercy I be judged as big enough to keep."

UPDATED!! Ty's room started out hunting and sports, but then I decided to move the hunting decor upstairs to the play room and make Ty's room sports only! Wall art and bedding from Pottery Barn Teen.

I love these vintage sports chapter books I have started collecting. They are such good stories and fun decorations too!  

Duck calls, footballs, baseballs...what more could a little boy need?

Hannah Iris's Room

Hannah got a more grown up version of Lila's room. She also has a chandelier and rug from Pottery Barn. Her bedding is from Dillard's and incorporates more vibrant colors. I tried to include all of her interests into her decor. I have a picture of her with her violin, a section on her cabinet for softball trophies and pictures, and a bulletin board with special pictures and items.  Her bed was my bed when I was growing up and I painted it with Annie Sloan Old White. 

I plan to paint this dress in AS Old White also. I just haven't had time yet!

 This was my desk, then it was in my brothers' room. It was solid wood color until I painted it for Hannah. I left the top unpainted because it has signatures from my friends, my brothers' friends, and now Hannah's friends! Look closely, you may find your name!! The doll on the desk is a ragdoll that Hannah made with the help of Grammy.

 The violin was Hannah's first violin! Again, I incorporated a little rustic with barnwood frames, a burlap canvas, and a tin owl.

 

 The book shelf and end table above were painted with Annie Sloan Old White. Below, is a curio cabinet full of Precious Moments figurines! I collected these when I was little, and now Hannah collects them too!  

The Girls' Bathroom

For the girls/guest bathroom, I went with a simple style based on the picture of the flowers!.I love how the picture illustrates the scripture. Do not conform, my sweet girls. Be different. Be like Jesus.

And this scripture is another one I want my girls to know. Beauty is so relative. Make sure you are beautiful within.

And for heaven's sake, be Southern!

Master Bedroom

Our bedroom is a work in progress!! It definitely needs a few more personal touches, like throw pillows on the bed! But, it will get there...eventually! My bathroom and laundry room will have to come in another post! The ideas are in my head, but not on the walls!! My bathroom is going to be lake theme...pictures from past lake visits, life is better at the lake signs, and a vintage slalom ski just like the one my daddy skied on that I ordered from Ebay!!

The headboard is a vintage 1970s that I painted with Annie Sloan Florence! I just LOVE turquoise!! The other furniture goes with the bed, but I painted it white years ago. I thought if I repainted it all it might be a little too much turquoise!!

 Please ignore the empty red picture frames, especially the one with sideways people!! Shutterfly has not delivered my pictures yet and I'm ready to blog! The barnwood frames are supposed to be empty.

I have yearbooks and high school pictures of me and Brett on our dresser! Why not embrace the whole high school sweetheart thing? And, yes, I have a quote from Dazed and Confused!! It is our motto, for real!! Brett and I always say we're just livin', L  I  V  I  N!!

Playroom

Ty wanted to name our playroom "Bustin' Mallards Pool Hall." 

Since Spoonbill ducks are referred to as "Hollywoods" our pool tournaments are called Hollywood Pool Tournament.

Soaking Up the Son

In January, I posted about our Summer Bible Lessons. Every morning, we start out by reading a Bible story and doing a craft or project that pertains to the story. Each summer I rotate Old Testament and New Testament. This summer we will study the New Testament. The more years I do this, the harder it gets to find different crafts/activities that are age-appropriate. I am so thankful for Pinterest!!! I have given the list of stories and scriptures below. I am going to try to post actual pictures of the projects my kids do throughout the summer, but in this post I am going to give links to many of the activities that I have chosen.

I do not have links to the following stories/activities. The instructions are listed here.

Jesus' baptism http://docthelmaskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/04/sunday-school-baptism-craft.html
Tempted in the Wilderness http://teachingthem.com/tag/object-lesson/
12 Apostles http://ministry-to-children.com/object-lesson-kids-sharing-gospel/
Jesus' First Miracle http://bibleclasscreations.blogspot.com/2012/06/jesus-changes-water-to-wine.html
Beatitudes http://latterdaychatter.blogspot.com/2012/09/primary-4-lesson-34.html
Salt and Light http://www.teachsundayschool.com/bottlecap.html
Story of the Seeds http://yourlifeuncommon.blogspot.com/2012/05/fhe-doing-our-dailies-teaching-effects.html
Love your Enemies http://freesundayschoolcurriculum.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/5/0/12503916/lesson_33_love_for_enemies.pdf
The Mustard Seed http://www.ms-objectlessons.blogspot.com/
The Frightening Storm http://www.education.com/activity/article/Ocean_In_a_Bottle/?coliid=145
Feeding the Crowd http://bibleclasscreations.blogspot.com/2013/04/jesus-feeds-5000.html
Jesus Walks on Water http://www.ms-objectlessons.blogspot.com/
The Lost Lamb http://jedicraftgirl.blogspot.com/search/label/14
The Blind Man http://raisinglittledisciples.blogspot.com/2012/02/jesus-heals-blind-man.html
Zaccheus http://www.pocketfulofposiesblog.com/sunday-school-crafts-zacchaeus/
Mary's Gift http://befickle.blogspot.com/2010/03/secret-service-activity-days-activity.html
Parable of the Talents http://jedicraftgirl.blogspot.com/search/label/14
Big Catch http://www.doodlecraftblog.com/2013/01/pocket-sized-magnetic-fishing-set-in.html
Jesus Cleanses the Temple http://mamato5blessings.com/2012/03/science-for-kids-with-a-twist-hands-on-illustration-of-obedience/
Ananias and Sapphira http://pintriedit.com/valentines-day-scratch-off-tickets/
Armor of God http://ourjourneywestward.com/armor-of-god-object-lesson/
Faith and Works http://ministry-to-children.com/faith-comes-first-bible-lesson/
Say no to Sin http://martydonnellan.com/?cat=139
Kind Words http://martydonnellan.com/?cat=139
Anger http://freebiblelessons.net/object-lessons/dont-explode-with-anger
Fruit of the Spirit http://www.just-between-friends.com/2014/01/mini-chalkboards-valentines-day-craft.html

Sweet Summertime!

I LOVE summer!! I really like parts of all of the seasons, but summer is my favorite!! There's really not one thing that I don't love about summer. I love hot weather, a break from school, and the laid-back, easygoing attitude that summer brings!! Going outside barefoot and being warm in a tank top and shorts is the greatest feeling to me! Summer gives me a feeling of freedom, allowing me to have carefree days and almost feel like a kid again! As school comes to an end, my kids and I are looking forward to many fun summer memories!!

I made some goodie bags and teacher gifts for my kids to take to their class for the end of school.

Hannah and Ty had the BEST teachers this year!! They had a great 3rd and 1st grade year! For their gift, I bought two plastic bowls from the summer collection at Walmart. I bought a beach towel, mason jar mug, pool floatie, and the best part, a Sonic gift card!!  I also made a card in photoshop that says "School's out, Summer's here, Thanks for all you've done ALL year!"

For their classmates, I made these cute little alligator tags that say "See You Later, Alligator. Hope you have a cool summer!". I REALLY love alligators! They are my favorite animal!!  I used clear treat bags and filled them with a packet of lemonade, suckers, and bubbles!!

Salt of the Earth

My kids memory verse this week is Matthew 5:13-16. The first part of the verse says, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." When I read this part of the verse to them, I began to consider my own saltiness.

Salt has several different characteristics and purposes. It makes you thirsty. It seasons food and makes it taste better. It can be used to preserve food and make it last longer. It is found in your sweat and your tears.  As a Christian, God has asked me to be the salt of the earth. My actions should make people thirsty for the word of God. They way that I live my life should make others want what I have--a relationship with God. I should be seasoning to this world, making it a better place. I should be involved in activities that help preserve morals and stop the moral decay in our society. This is how I can be the salt of the earth, and God never said that was going to be easy. On the contrary, it is going to take sweat and possibly a few tears to get the job done.

Lately, I have been running around like a crazy woman devoting all of my time and my energy to my kids. That's my job right now. To be a mom. But, I don't think God intended for me to sacrifice my relationship with Him to make sure my kids are involved in activities. I feel like I have put God on the back burner and left Him there.

With a relationship like that, there's no way I'm being salt in this wicked world. I have to find balance. I have to focus on my job as a Christian, which will make me a better mom in the end.  Prayer is the first step in regaining my passion for Christ, because without passion my salt has no flavor. God loves for His children to return to Him through prayer. I have to tell Him I'm sorry for losing my passion and for being lukewarm. I have to ask Him to help me regain control of my faith and not let the devil trample me down with worldly things. Once God has set my heart on fire again, then He can use me to bring others closer to Him.

So, how can I be salt? Since I'm a mom, I have a little audience that watches my every move. I can be the salt to them by helping them learn memory verses, taking the to church, and doing service projects that teach them to put others before themselves. I can change simple things like what they watch in the car. This week they started watching a movie called "Theo" that we found at Lifeway. The topics of this particular movie are the armor of God and new birth. This has opened up so many different conversations about baptism and sin. Ty even came out of his room yesterday dressed in the armor of God (or a pillow and football pads and helmet!)

We can be the salt of the earth even when we are busy. We just have to make sure that God is always our number one priority and He will take care of giving us opportunities to be the salt of the earth.  In everything that you do, always look for ways that you can show others how different the life of a Christian is so that they will thirst for that life. Look for ways to influence the world for good and make it "taste better." Try to find things that you can do to bring our country back to the moral standards that were once so important. And, always remember to smile and keep a positive attitude.  Ask yourself, "How many times does the world get a taste of me and it's not Christ?"

Stand by Your Man

I read an article the other day about being a farmer's wife. As I read through, I felt a twinge of guilt because I do not do all of the things she professed a farmer's wife should. I don't feed chickens or milk cows, I don't wake up at the crack of dawn and cook a hearty breakfast. I don't stack hay bales or drive tractors when I get off of "my job in town." However, as quickly as the guilty feeling had arisen in me it left, as I considered "if I did all of these things would that make me any better than a banker's wife or an electrician's wife?"

I hate all of the titles we give ourselves like "farmer's wife," "boy mom," or "soccer mom." Trying to make our lives seem more glamorous or worse, make them seem like we have a higher, harder calling. God has blessed me richly and I am proud that my husband is a hard worker who provides for our family. The fact that he works so hard makes me want to be a better wife (hence the twinge of guilt noted earlier!).

God did not specify in the Bible that a farmer's wife should do this and a factory worker's wife should do that. God gave us directions to follow as a WIFE. As far as God is concerned, each of us is called to the same thing--to be the best that we can be with the situations He chose to bless us with.

Proverbs 31:10-12 says "An excellent wife who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."

Instead of making our lives and our circumstances seem more important than others, we should focus our energy on being the wife that causes her husband no evil but only good. To be the wife that he trusts. To be the wife whose husband says "you excel them all."

God has given each of us different circumstances and situations in life. But, one of our most important jobs is to stand next to our man and help him stay faithful to our Father...no matter what occupation he has chosen.

Penny Cross

Today's Scripture: Jesus is put on a cross--Matthew 27:32-44

Grace is receiving something you don't deserve. When Jesus died on the cross, he paid for our sins. Christ's death on the cross was a sacrifice. There was a price that had to be paid. We are sinners and do not deserve to go heaven. But, thankfully, we have a loving heavenly Father who was willing to sacrifice His Son. And, we have a Savior who was willing to pay the price for our sins. We are washed clean. We are forgiven. Our debt has been PAID IN FULL!!

The craft today, a cross covered with pennies, is a great reminder of this.

Supplies:  Wooden or cardboard cross
Glue Gun
pennies

Glue the pennies to the cross.