Isaac's new bedding

My friend Linda told me about a vintage cowboy comforter set she had picked up for her twin boys on clearance at Walmart for $13. I asked her if they still had any, and low and behold, they had one left! It totally is perfect in Isaac's room! Thanks Linda! Now I just need to get rid of those white walls...

Play/Scrap room redo

I recently redid the kids' play room. The space also doubles as my scrapbooking space (all my stuff is on shelves in the closet and I will be using the butcher block table as my scrapping table--( you can't see it in the picture, but the table was my kitchen island at our old house and I still totally LOVE it and am glad it can still have a purpose!), so I wanted to be able to conceal the toys somehow so I could make the space adult-friendly for the time I was scrapping. Borrowing the idea from my wonderful sister and brother in law, we made a curtain for the wall that all the toy shelving is on using a dropcloth, heavy duty wire and heavy duty eye screws. I also painted the room my favorite taupe color called "Barnwood" (a waverly color), made new curtains, and got some cute new accessories (thrift store purchases). I am not done yet, but love that I can make the space something I enjoy looking at for the time I am in there

I had my first non-family photo session this morning and had SO much fun! (thanks again, Scot and Crystal!). I just continue to get more and more confirmation that this is something I would love to do! I have to say, in my short 32 years of life, I have had quite a few experiences and have done many different things for jobs. I have been in retail sales. I have been in the clerical world many different times. I have been a teacher. I have been a family therapist. I have even been Barney for kid's birthday parties! But, above all, this "job" of photography has the most potential for fulfillment of any other job I have ever had!

If you are interested, take a look at my updated gallery. Just click on the highlighted link to the right or the "resolutions photography" link on my blog list.

Please pray

I know through emails that I received, that many of you were touched by the "Bring the Rain" blog I mentioned a few postings ago. If any of you have kept up with the blog, you know about baby Harper, a baby girl born a few days ago who is experiencing some serious difficulties. As I looked at the pictures of baby Harper tonight, I felt so complelled to pray for her, and I did. Isn't it amazing that in God's family, we don't have to know each other to be able to pray for and love one another? If you so feel led, please view this blog and say a prayer right now for this sweet little one.

www.kellyskornerblog.com

(almost) no cost decorating

Isaac's room has been driving me a little crazy lately. I just haven't quite gotten it to where I like it. Part of the reason is that I hate white walls and it is the only room in our house we have not painted yet. Eventually I will get around to it. But for now, I did make a couple of changes using things I had on hand. Many of you are familiar with my big cupboards that I inherited (i.e. begged my brother for) from my brother's barn. Well, one of them found a home in Isaac's room and I use it for all of the toys I don't want Graham to get his hands on. This little vingette is on the top of the cupboard. I like how this turned out, and it didn't cost me a thing!

Firetruck: Dave's from childhood
Branches: free (I am using them everywhere in my house these days. They give a great organic feel and fill up lots of space!)Oh, and did I mention they are free?
Frames: from some pictures I had in storage I was not using
Bear: mine from childhood-my grandma made it! (note the cute little thread bare paws!)
Chair: "borrowed" from my mom (she has a thrift store upstairs in her house)
Chalkboard: from my decorating "stash"



Here's another thing I did that cost practically nothing. I created a headboard for Isaac's bed using a painter's canvas unframed picture (it was an ugly one with elephants and giraffes on it) from the thrift store (it was $2.99). I painted over it and painted a big white star in the middle and voila!




Love that (almost) no cost decorating!

A new year's resolution

As many of you know, last year was a rough year for us. There were many transitions and lots of uncertainty. When we finally got settled in our new home, I started to feel, well...restless. I am not sure how else to define what I was feeling. I felt like I wanted to create, or to do something new. For a few months I went back and forth, trying to decide what to DO with my life, and this restless energy I felt continued to build. I took a look at the things I truly enjoyed doing in life. Almost at the top of that list was photographing my children. I dreamed and thought and thought and dreamed. I heard stories about others who had the same ambitions I did. Then, the new year came. I felt as though this was my year to DO something new. I made a resolution that I would.
So now, I am undertaking a new journey, and I have named it "Resolutions Photography," the name deriving from not only a photography term, but my own new year's resolution.
I don't know if I will have many clients, or just one. I do know I love doing what I am about to do, and that is all that matters to me.
Take a moment to visit my new site. Just click on "check out my photography blog" on the right hand side of this posting. Or, click on "resolutions photography" on my blog list.

Thanks for visiting!

www.resolutionsphoto.blogspot.com

Bring the Rain

One night, I sat completely captivated at my computer and for two hours, I read the blog of one mom who can truly attest to God's love, peace and joy in the midst of unspeakable circumstances. If you are a fan of Christian music, you have probably heard about the band "Selah." The blog I was reading was that of the male lead singer's wife. This precious family has three beautiful girls, and were expecting their fourth. Midway through the pregnancy, they learned that the baby girl they were expecting would have numerous medical issues, particularly with her heart, and would probably not survive childbirth. They were advised to abort the baby. They did not. The mother then started the blog as a way to record their journey with their baby girl, no matter how short it would be.
It got me to thinking about abortion. It seems like all you need to do is turn on the TV to a news channel and at some point, there will be a mention of this heated topic. Some would say this one issue defines an entire political party. The passions run high on both sides of the fence. Being a born again believer, (and an adopted child!) of course I am completely pro-life. But I have always marveled at the enemy's fight to keep this issue at the center of so many political debates. Why? Why this issue over so many other issues? And then it came to me. If he can trick women into believing their choice to abort their baby is the best choice for them, he can keep them in bondage to their decision for the rest of their lives. I have counseled a few women who had abortions decades ago, and they still remember. Remember what their baby's birthday may have been. Remember that every time they set the table for supper, there's a dinner plate missing. Remember that every time they buy a Christmas present, there's one they won't ever have to buy. And they are absolutely stricken with these thoughts for the rest of their lives. If they are fortunate to discover God's grace and mercy, they can be free of this bondage. But many of them do not.
Although the story of this beautiful family is difficult to read, it is worth it. It is such a testimony of how God can use anything and everything to make something beautiful. She has recently posted a video (it has now been almost a year since they lost their baby) of the day she was born and the precious hours they got to spend with her before she passed. Throughout the video you see clips of a bunny, which she explains in the first postings of the blog. The video is somewhat long (about five minutes or so), but totally worth it.

www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com

(or click on the "bring the rain" blog on my blog list)

Anyone who know me knows I DETEST the month of January. I wish I could just take a big sleeping pill, pull the covers over my head and miss the entire thing. It is long. It is dark. It is cold. It is horrible.
I took down my Christmas stuff last week and there are still tons of gaps waiting to be filled where Christmas decorations once stood. But, there are still a few pretty scenes around my house that I like to stop and look at during these depressing days. Here's a few of them:

In the next few weeks, I will be posting some information about an exciting new endeavor I

What do YOU do on those long winter afternoons?

I kept meaning to get to a pile of mismatched socks that has been accumulating in my laundry room for the past five months or so. Today was the day, I just knew it. Today, I was FINALLY going to get to those darn socks. I pulled the bin I keep them in down off of the shelf and sat them down on the family room floor. I suffer from housework ADHD and soon became distracted by another task. I came back about an hour later and this is what I found:


Isaac was making a sock angel and Graham was gloriously flinging socks in the air. What's a mom to do when cabin fever sets in?