beautifully spoiled

S
now is fluttering down from the heavens
perfectly coating everything as if God
sent it all just for me. I'm from a part of
this country where there was a ton of snow
every winter and this girl's heart has been
missing it so. very. much.

I would be lieing if I said I haven't been peeking out my curtains

every.

single.

morning.

for the past several weeks -
 eager to see exactly what I saw out my window this morning!


 It was snowing and HARD!
AND
it still IS snowing!

Everything is getting so very snow-covered!

 To add to my beautiful excitement of the snow, look what I got in the mail!!!
Right after Christmas I ordered these cd's from JJ Heller's website. She was having
an awesome Christmas deal - two cd's for $10 and no shipping!

 So - I woke up to beautiful snow,

 then I got two amazing cd's in the mail that totally blessed me,

drank delicious coffee from this beautiful, fun cup,
 

 that somehow got into all the wedding sctuff when we were packing up so if it's yours just holler - I've been taking really good care of it. ;)

 

 and finally I got to read over my notes from our message yesterday at church -
that so gently, yet boldly reminded me
why I exist and how I should live.

That's what I call...

beautifully spoiled.


⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Romans 14:8

~ I love your socks! ~

S
o this year I really wanted to
something super creative for
Advent. I looked on blogs,
Pinterest and Google for ideas
and a really fun idea I saw using

socks!

So I gathered up all those silly holiday socks that we don't wear too much,

and I went to the thrift store for the remaining. I gathered together 25 total.

I wrote down from 1 - 25 ideas for family activities, verses and gathered

a few fun candies for here and there...

I have to admit I didn't stuff them from day one

and I definitely should have because I tend to forget... in fact, I should just stuff the rest today

so we can finish up strong.

::sigh::

Raise your hand if your getting a bit overwhelmed...

[waving both hands in the air]

The types of things I stuff my socks with are little messages

that have a family activity which have included:

* Paint Christmas Pictures and hang them in the windows

* Go as a family to pick out Christmas Tree

* Family Game Night

* Decorate the House for Christmas as a family (including all of our bedrooms)

Kitchen Window

(that is not a chalk board fyi - I took poster board, painted it black, and drew on it with white crayon)

Sister's room!

Boys' Room!

I surprised sister one night when she got home from work with her whole bedroom decorated!

She loved it!

I put a touch of greenery in a vase so she can get a daily whiff or two of Christmas! ♥

Her room is very shabby chic so I went with gold and vintage looking apples in there.

She got that giraffe from Africa -- she's spoiled rotten. baaaha!

Me and My Loverboy's bedroom.

 I adore blue and silver - these were all on my Christmas Tree last year actually

* Picnic on the floor for dinner

* Bake Cookies together

that is just a few ideas that we have done and then

every other day or so I add a verse to go along with the Christmas story

and also randomly add in a little candy for the kids.

All the kids take turns opening the socks - they really love it

and I love thinking up the ideas. We don't open them till after nap time because

we wanted to wait for sister to get home from school and all the activities are for the

whole family pretty much so we do them after dinner.

For tonight: We are taking a drive as a family to go see the Christmas Lights.

Wishing you a fabulous day

and

Don't forget to wrap a scarf around

your neck cuz Baby - it's cold outside!



~ a fine frenzy ~

I
f we were children,
I would bake you
a mud pie. ♥

~ casework ~

O
ne of my major struggles when
I'm "zhushing" around in my
home, is arranging my lovelies
on shelves, bookcases and such.

I'm a huge fan of simple.

I detest too many knick knack patty whacks -

they're just not my thing -

but I DO

adore a bookcase chalked full of books

and if they are organized in some form or fashion....

ooooooh la la!

I love it!

I'm pretty sure that I've only arranged one shelf,

in my whole life,

that totally makes my heart skip-a-beat.

It's SO tough!

I've got a hankering to rearrange my living room but just the idea of having

to redo shelves, pictures and such makes me nervous.

I decided to take it to Google recently

and this is what I came up with...

source

source

source

source

And also in my Googling :)

I found this - you should go check it out for more ideas on

arranging shelves and such.

Have a fabulous week darlings!

P.S.  The picture of the sandwich from the Summer Post was a Green Chile Pork Panini with Peach Sauce that my husband made....

and the book I was reading was Ida B. Adored it.

~ the ultimate love letter ~

C
ould you imagine getting
a real tangible letter from
God? A letter, addressed
to you, with your name on
it. 

I bet it would glow.

Don't you think?

A real luminous glow because if he touched it,

it would probably be glowing right?

Then maybe you would start glowing, too... right?

I don't know, maybe.

Anyhow, if you were to get a letter from God -

what do you think it would say?

Well... here's a hint.

We all have letters from God.

Real.
Definite.
 Living Letters.

and this is what they say...

  

My Child,

You may not know me,

but I know everything about you.

Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.

Psalm 139:2

 

 

I am familiar with all your ways.

Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.

Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.

Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.

Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.

Acts 17:28

 

I knew you even before you were conceived.

Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.

Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,

for all your days are written in my book.

Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth

and where you would live.

Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13

 

And brought you forth on the day you were born.

Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented

by those who don’t know me.

John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,

but am the complete expression of love.

1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.

1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child

and I am your Father.

1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.

Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.

Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.

James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.

Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.

Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless

as the sand on the seashore.

Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.

Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.

Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you

with all my heart and all my soul.

Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.

Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,

you will find me.

Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you

the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.

Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you

than you could possibly imagine.

Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you

in all your troubles.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,

I am close to you.

Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,

I have carried you close to my heart.

Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away

every tear from your eyes.

Revelation 21:3-4

And I’ll take away all the pain

you have suffered on this earth.

Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you

even as I love my son, Jesus.

John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.

John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.

Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,

not against you.

Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression

of my love for you.

1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved

that I might gain your love.

Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,

you receive me.

1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you

from my love again.

Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party

heaven has ever seen.

Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,

and will always be Father.

Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…

Will you be my child?

John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.

Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad

Almighty God

Thank you, Farmgirl Paints for sharing this beautiful compilation with us that your mother sent to you.
It is most precious and lovely - I adore it so.
My prayers are with you and your family as you make your way to your new home.

Love to y'all and have a blessed weekend,

~ beckoning for a banquette ~

I
've been entertaining with
the idea that my little sweet
house would adore a gathering
space much like the ones I've
collected below. As many of

you know, our little house is...

well....

little.

 and there is no mystery that a banquette would save space

AND

create space.

I could add some space under the benches for cookbooks,

baskets of linens for dressing up my table,

or maybe even pretty mixing bowls.

Note to self:
Hang a map of the United States on the wall -
it looks amazing and is WAY cool all at the same time!

k - sorry for that little interuption...

...  I DO have to say I adore my dining set that I have but,

I can't resist thinking how lovely it could be to have such a cozy space

like these...

and I really could combine some of my existing chairs and
maybe even my table...
right?

source

And pardon me as I drool all over those painted wood floors.

*drool*drool*drool*

I think also having a drop light fixture would add
a bit of playfulness and
I adore this round lampshade.

source

I'm quite sure but I think I've already posted this picture before but I can't get over
how similar it is to our space that I'm thinking of for a banquette
as our space is also surrounded my windows
just like this one.

Oooooh. That old-fashioned fisherman's light fixture is calling my name.

...wonder if I could buy one of those off Ebay for ooober cheap.

hmmm.....

Now all I have to do is figure out who can build me one of these beautiful banquettes...

Maybe my ol' Pa?!

I mean - he did build my mom a whole house! Lol!

date night.

♥
My husband and I went out
on one of the most perfect
dates I have ever been on
in my whole life.

My sissy suggested that we go and she volunteered to

watch our boys.

I was giddy like a little high school girl the afternoon before our date.

I got all my make-up out.

 I plucked.

These things needed some taming.

Sweet Pea let me barrow her adorable headband.

We both got all cleaned up and ready to go!

We decided it would be fun to go out on our bikes

and see where the road took us.

We ended up riding the greenbelt to downtown and

parked at one of our favorite spots to visit

friends and family.

The Basque Center.

If you haven't been to the Basque Block in Boise well...

shame on you.

 After some ice water for me and a little cocktail for my hubby

we went on to the Matador.

The Matador is a newer restaurant downtown.

I would describe it as Spanish Bistro.

It is a Tequila Bar ...

and it just happens to have amazing decor,

outstanding food,

and very interesting bathroom faucets!

Next we headed back to our bikes and came

across the sweetest old Golden I have

ever met.

Isn't he precious?

 I adore downtown.

We got back to our bikes and ...

 we rode,

and rode,

and laughed,

and were dorks,

and I fell.... again.

 We ended up riding a pretty far ways and ended up seeing deer

by the golf course!

 It was gorgeous out.

A perfect evening for a date with my lover boy.

I love this bridge.

Before home, we went and picked up a movie at a redbox.

True Grit... the new one.

I liked it okay, but I was hoping for a bit more.

Isn't she gorgeous?

So wish I had those braids!!!

Date Night with my love.

I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Thanks Sis <3