Weekend wrap up

I had a great weekend. Garret came over to spend the night. I had gotten him a game for his birthday and we played it for about 4 hours Saturday evening. It is Axis and Allies, a World War II strategy game. We battled and I lost. I loved the tanks. I kept wanting to go after everything with my tanks. 

I had a hard time keeping the ships straight. I kept thinking a destroyer was more powerful than the battleships point wise simply because the destroyer was bigger. But in this game, bigger did not necessarily mean more powerful. 

He had to help me a lot because I kept making dumb moves and he would say, "Mamaw, are you sure you want to do that?" And I would say hmmm, I don't know. Then I would panic because I wasn't sure if I was making the right moves or not. I never did win, but I sure had fun playing. 

I did have time for a little project this weekend. It was basic and simple. I meant to take a before and after, but forgot. I had this vase that I wanted to put on a little shelf in the living room, but didn't want flowers on it. So I bought some rocks at Dollar Tree and a pretty vanilla candle and made a cute arrangement with the vase. 

The shelf has a little "outdoorsy" feel with the birds and wreaths on it. I think it needs a ribbon or jute or raffia around the rim. I'll have to try that out and see what I think.

I was very pleased with the final look and it added some height to the top of the shelf. 

Back when Hubby worked at Dollywood in the 1990's, their was a store that sold pictures and they would personalize a sign or a mailbox on the picture with your name. We are both train nuts (Daddy worked for the C & O Railroad) since we both grew up near the tracks and would hear the trains at night. So we fell in love with this picture and had to have it. You can see the little personalized mailbox on it. It hangs in the living room. 

When we put the bookshelf in the living room Friday night, I got two of hubbies trains (one is the C&O) and put them on top of the bookcase. He was so happy to have some of "his stuff" as decor in the living room. 

I had this braided rug in the bedroom by the bed, but decided to put it in front of the bookcase for a little extra "something". I love braided rugs and have a couple around the house.  

This past week, we switched from Comcast phone to AT&T land lines. I know it is a step backwards technology wise, but we have had some problems with Comcast these past few weeks and week before last was the straw that broke the camels back. Because Comcast ties into your internet and cable, any time one went down they all went down. Bottom line, I wanted a "regular" phone for my desk for my home office. So we switched back to AT&T for our land line. So I got a new phone for my desk and I'm loving it. 

I've got a busy week ahead of me so I'm going to run and get started on my "to-do" list. Have a great day. 

The Triumphal Entry

Luke 19:28-44

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Triumphal Entry
(From www.Biblegateway.com)

28 When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’”

32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?”

34 And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.

37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”

40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Spring Cleaning Changes

I was sitting on the couch yesterday evening and I said to hubby "I was just thinking." He got that deer in the headlight look, the one that makes me tread carefully so he doesn't bolt. Then I proceeded to tell him I wanted to make some changes in the beach room. We have been here a year and I just haven't decided on how I want furniture in the room. We just have some assorted "stuff' in there right now. 

I want to put my spare chairs back at the kitchen table and put some kind of bed in the room, but there is't much room and day beds are so expensive. But I saw something yesterday that was cute. They just pushed the bed up against the wall and threw pillows on it to make a couch. 

This next one they mounted a queen headboard on the wall and then put the twin bed up against it. Again, some pillows and you have a comfy couch for the kids to set on to watch TV during the evening, but it makes a nice bed for one of them to sleep on. I will do the same thing on the spare wall in my office so that I have two guest beds. I can get a roll away bed to keep in the closet for when there are 3 of them staying.

It looks like this one just used a really high mattress and built a foundation for the mattress and created more storage at the same time. 

This one is probably my favorite one. I love the storage area.

Another one with a queen headboard used for the "back" of the couch. 

Then that discussion triggered the discussion that I thought the bookcase took up too much space in the kids room and wondered about trading my TV stand in our master bedroom for the bookcase/entertainment center for our TV. Hubby actually liked the idea so we started cleaning everything off  both areas so we could make the switch. We paused in the living room on the way to take the bookcase to the bedroom. While it was setting in the floor, we both looked at each other at the same time and realized the bookcase made a perfect entertainment center for the living room TV. So we nixed the bedroom switch and put the bookcase in the living room and the TV stand from the living room went in the kids room.  No picture to post of the kids room until I get it the way I want it, but here is the entertainment center in the living room. 

I especially love the fact that I had room for my blue pitcher and bowl to come back in the living room and that my favorite hardback books had a new home. 

Now time to hit the yard sales for a twin frame and a queen headboard. I can then get a new twin set of mattress and box spring and get the kids room the way I want it. Have a great Saturday!

Favorite Finds on Friday

As I looked on Etsy this week, I found several things that I fell in love with. This little Easter chicks caught my eye. I posted them on Facebook and one of my friends is going to try her hand at making one. She is very talented and doesn't always need a pattern. These little fellas were just too cute. 

I have been looking for a vintage crumb brush and pan set. I haven't been able to find exactly what I'm looking for. But I did see this set this week and thought it would be cute to own. I'm still thinking about it. 

Call me crazy, but I miss the old fashioned princess phones. I even miss rotary dialing. I know that sounds crazy. I love all my new fangled gadgets like cell phones, lap tops, tablets, but I really, really miss the old rotary phones. 

Check out these raffia ware glasses. I wouldn't mind finding some of these at a yard sale or thrift store. How cute would this be for the grandkids. 

I would also like to find a vintage coffee pot like this Cathrineholms one. 

I love doilies. The pineapple pattern has always been one of my favorites. This is too cute with the tips in turquoise. 

I'm heading out this morning to go to my first estate sale of 2013. It says over 41 years accumulation of "stuff". So who knows what I might find. 

It's empty.....

As we get closer to Easter, I start thinking of all the events that led up to that glorious morning when Christ arose from the dead. Can you even begin to imagine?

He was the Son of God. OUR risen Savior. Our salvation. But to the people He knew, He was even more than that. He was their friend. He was the one that walked the roads with them and talked to them about their dreams, their desires, their pain, their despair. 

Can you just imagine what it was like to be His friend. To be someone who could call out the window as He passed by and invite Him in for something cool to drink on a hot day.

Can you imagine the times of stress and worry when He would simply head for somewhere that He could be alone to talk to His Heavenly Father. And then just imagine the comfort and peace He felt after that conversation. Knowing that His time on earth was drawing to an end.

Can you imagine the love He felt as He looked at all those He had come to know so well. Imagine what was going through His mind when they were planning a fishing trip in a few weeks and only He knew that He wouldn't be around to go.

I would imagine He had times when Peter would make Him throw His head back and laugh in the pure joy of their friendship. And I am sure there were times when He, Mary and Joseph would talk and His heart would be breaking at the thought of leaving them. And imagine being one of the children in town who got to hang out with Him.

Then I wonder how those around Him that knew Him the best reacted when they saw Him beat, spat upon and hung on the horrible cross. How could they take the agony of seeing Him suffer, watching Him bleed as He hung there battered and scarred, waiting for the moment when His earthly body would be no more. I wonder at the anguish of those who loved him so. How could they stand to watch his pain and suffering? How could they stand not to? And when they removed that precious sweet body, broken and beaten, and prepared it for burial, how could they endure their own pain.

I wonder how long they stood there and just stared at the closed tomb that held everything that was dear to them. They knew of His promises. They knew He had to go. But oh how difficult that must have been to say that final goodbye as dusk set and they had to get back to their homes, their families, their lives.

But on that third day, oh, that glorious third day. How did they feel when they returned to the tomb and it was empty. It was true! He was gone! Then they find out that He has risen just like He promised. What was intended to be an end was just a beginning.

Christ arose and the tomb was empty. That empty tomb was the promise of a future. What had ended as despair now became HOPE.

Happy first day of spring!

Two times a year I get a little depressed over clothing. Once at Easter and once at swimsuit time. Well, time for my first bout of depression. I want to look fashionable for Easter. It's a yearly thing. I want the Easters of my late teen and early mom years when I could still wear size 3 and my spiked heels were higher than my dress size. 

I want the cute dresses that will accentuate my waistline and flair out over my hips. Who are we kidding, I would be happy just to HAVE a waistline nowadays. 

Instead, each year, I try to find outfits with full skirts or dress pants that can be paired with a cute top. I did see some tops I liked at Kohl's. 

I also liked this one. Either one would look cute with white pants and white shoes.

Of course, I don't go with the big heels any more. I would need to find something in a white sandal low heel look. I really like the look of these. 

Then of course, I have the dilemma of wanting a new white purse for spring. I have wanted one for about three years, but never can find anything I like. I do like the looks of this one. Just pretty sure the price would scare me to death. 

With our crazy weather and with Easter being earlier than normal this year, I have let it slip up on me. I haven't had time for much of a panic attack over the "what will I wear for Easter" dilemma. But I have still have a little over a week to worry about it. In the meantime, spring is officially here. That means that no matter how cold it gets, I will not wear my winter boots any more. It is time to get out the flip flops and get them ready to wear on those warmer days that are surely coming at any minute.

Thoughts for today....

Please pray for the families that lost their homes and rentals cabins in a massive fire here locally in Wears Valley. At last count 59 homes were destroyed and 6 were damaged. It was devastating. Firefighters from the entire county fought the blaze which started in one of the cabins around 4:00 on Sunday. Black Hawk helicopters were called in to haul water from the local lake to help fight the fire. A special thank you to all our firefighters, EMT's, and police officers who responded to the need. 

Our hearts and prayers go out to all those who lost their homes in this horrendous destruction.