Too Much Fun

Some people would call it "nixy"...I call it good clean fun!

Check out my aunt's recent post "Somebody, Fess Up!" and comments section to see what mischief I've been up to lately. Her original "My Hairbrain" post and especially the comments that followed just cracked me up, and gave birth to an idea.

:o)

After Effects

Ahhhh...so much better! This must be what it's like (though on a MUCH smaller scale) when those people go on Extreme Home Makeover and suddenly their living spaces are transformed.


I know I'm exaggerating just a bit...but the color of a room has that kind of effect on me. :o) I either want to breathe deeply or have the urge to hypervenilate. (I'm kidding, sort of.)



Now, tell me if this picture looks particularly restful to you.

That's to give you an idea of what our bedroom walls USED to look like with our decor. Lovely, right?

Here are the AFTER pictures:

This lovely "merlot" wall is awaiting a very special piece of artwork by my youngest brother Ryan. Since he paints far better than I and has actually BEEN to Italy--grrrr :o) --he was my first choice to paint us a 3-paneled Tuscany scene.






This little alcove is a lighter off-white color and will eventually be "separated" from the rest of the room by wine-colored floor length sheers on swinging arms. (An idea I stole from "Tropical Mexican.") This is because Pete is loosing his Study to Baby Adam come December, and since there is no other spot for him (Pete), AND we really don't want to see a desk/workspace as soon as we walk in our "place of rest", we had to figure something out.

And our living/dining room which USED to be peach (mind you they only did one coat so it looked really pretty) now looks like this:

I still need to find some short floating shelves to put on either side of my metal piece. That and finding some colorful candles/decorative boxes/vases to put on them. Hello Target! :o)

Last Days of Summer

Some of you have probably been wondering...did she drop off the face of the earth?

Rest assured, we've been well--just cramming some last minute plans and projects in before the start of school...which began bright and early this morning for my hubby. The kids start next Monday. It's a bit of a rude awakening of sorts--that first day back. This summer was especially busy, though fun-filled, and went incredibly fast. With the classes Pete was taking, some work God provided for him at random times, and scattered day trips and weekends away, it felt like a blur.

I've been excited to post some pictures of our most recent project! We finished painting our living room/dining room and our bedroom last week. No longer do I glare at the peach and robin's egg blue walls of those rooms...ha ha. :o)

I'll try to post the pictures by the end of the week. In the meantime I've got a pile of ironing and a bunch to pack for our last hurrah of the summer--a trip to Dutch Wonderland this afternoon/evening with my family. I sure hope my sweetpea naps today. It's been 4 days since a decent amount of shuteye has occurred!

Aren't They Pretty?

Well, we'll see if my first attempt works...so far nearly all of my lids have "popped". That's a good thing though--it means the lids have sealed properly.

My mom came over yesterday to help me with my 1/2 bushel, which yielded 18--16 oz. jars of small diced tomatoes. It's a good thing she did too because SOMEONE, who will remain nameless, did not nap yesterday despite many attempt on Mommy's part prior to starting the project. And it is a project. Canning is one of those things that once you start, you've got to keep going. Time is of the essence!

I asked my mom, how did you do this when my siblings and I were young? "You relied on them taking a nice long nap!" she said. :o) I'm so glad she was here. By the end of our 2 1/2 hour project I was exhausted...still hoping for that increase in energy!

Here is the end product. Aren't they pretty?

On another note, tonight Natalia and I are headed into the mall. I am still searching for a decent fitting pair of maternity jean capris. It's difficult enough for me to find the non-maternity kind, but I've decided to go to Motherhood Maternity. I'll bite the bullet and hope for a sale! (I just despise spending alot of money.)

I know I've got it pretty easy since a wide selection of maternity things are readily available these days, unlike when my mom would make her own--but it's ridiculous what they charge sometimes! One nice thing is that at least the current style for regular T-shirts is the long length--great for pregnant bellies and less costly than "maternity" T's.

Pray for success-I'm such a run in and run out shopper these days!

Carrying on the Legacy

My cousin Lindsey, who is about 8 years younger than I, is a wonderful artist and I wanted to feature her site today. She, and many of the Stauffer grandchildren, carry on the creative artistic gene of our grandmother Ruth who passed away in 1981. She had been a wonderful oil painter among other things.

Well, Lindsey, in my opinion, has taken her gifting to another level through countless hours of study and practice...and I find her work breathtaking. :o)

Her site, which you can access here, only shows a small sampling of her work through the years, but after visiting it again the other day I was compelled to share it with all of you. I am amazed at how God has gifted her and am inspired by her attitude of humility as she seeks to bring joy to others through the avenue of art. I especially love her realistic portrayals of country life, which is so dear to my heart.

Enjoy!

Fresh Corn Salad

This, I believe, is an Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) recipe that my friend Rebecca shared with me years ago. It's one of those yummy ways to use the fresh corn that's so readily available this time of year. Enjoy!

5 ears corn, shucked
1/2 c. small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
3 TBsp. cider vinegar
3 TBsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves (I use about 2 TBsp. dried if I don't have fresh, and mix it in right away)

1. If you don't already have freezer corn, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the corn for 3 minutes. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and set the color. When corn is cool, cut the kernels off, cutting close to the cob.

2. Toss the corn with all the other ingredients. (If using fresh basil, add that just before serving.)

Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 4-6 servings.

Up To Our Ears

Yesterday morning my mom, her neighbor Kay, and I headed down I-83 to pick up her daughter from the airport. Laura had been in India for several months working with disabled children, and so despite being awake since Tuesday, Indian time, she had lots of stories to share as we drove home from BWI. Laura and I are only about 2 years apart in age and grew up playing together in the span of backyards between our houses. She has an incredible story of her own to share, surviving a really painful burn accident, but her love for Jesus and compassion for others just radiates out of her bright smile and joyful approach to life.

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As soon as Mom and I got back and ate a quick lunch, we started working on the corn crop she had brought over that morning. Pete had graciously husked it for us while we were on the road, and so all that remained was to cook, cut it off the cob, and store it in 1/2 pint freezer bags. It seemed like a small amount compared to what we've done in previous years, but we were both grateful it wasn't larger. After sitting for nearly 4 hours in a car, standing over a hot stove in a steamy (though air conditioned) kitchen, then sitting in the heat & humidity outside to eliminate corn juice being splattered all over the place...we were tired! After dinner I crashed onto the couch--literally--and hardly moved the rest of the night.

Here's some pictures for those curious about the process. Natalia really enjoyed moving (er--throwing) the cooked corn cobs from bin to bin to cool them off. Yum...there's nothing like fresh corn from the garden!

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Tonight we're going to go watch my home church's softball team play in the playoffs. Right now they're ranked in 2nd place. Natalia LOVES watching baseball, seeing some of Mommy's extended family, clapping and yelling "hit the ball guys!" Of course she also remembers that they sell "LOLLABOPS" at the snack bar! :o)