bits of sunshine

about pintrest

i promised myself that i wouldn't just pin and pin and pin and never use anything i pinned.  i also promised myself that i would tackle a to-do list this week.  one of the things on my list was sew something.  so, last night when ben was on the phone, i went to my pintrest i should make this board, and picked this.

i grabbed a t-shirt that ben wore once,

then i washed it, and DID NOT throw it in the dryer!  i line-dried it.  but just washing it shrunk it really funny - all crooked and short - but i didn't throw it out, 'cause the color and the goat were just too good.  thank goodness!

because it was far too wide for me, i laid a shrit that i like the width of on top of this one and chopped off the sides.

this saved me from cutting the bottom off - i didn't want to loose any length - but gave me fabric scraps to use for the shoulder straps.  i stitched up the sides, and then followed the super easy directions::

maddie liked it so much, she handed me a shirt to do for her, too.  i didn't cut any length off of hers, either, or width, so i used ribbon for her shoulder straps. 

today we had isaac take pictures of us in our new tank tops - he's such a goof!

so.  i sewed something.  and i used a pin.  :) 

p.s. i use a lot of the things i pin - recipes for sure, and learning ideas and cleaning tips and packaging, and inspiration - lots of inspriation . . .  i really, really like pintrest!

tonight i am

tonight i am::

grateful for cooler air

listening to crickets and the sounds of america wafting up the stairs and the drone of the refresher video ben is watching

thinking two dogs is good; three would be too many

swatting a mosquito

planning a trip to a nursery in the morning - maddie wants to start an herbal garden

wondering if we'll get any more rain {we got just a few drops this evening} - our ground is so thirsty

looking forward to a trip to the shore of lake superior - soon!

seeing the very orange fingernail moon, now that the sky is so very dark

wanting to print and frame and paint right on my walls some of the words that are speaking to me right now

loving the man who called me this morning, five minutes after he left, to make sure that there were no misunderstandings between us

remembering the feel of tears on my cheeks - he is so good to me

looking forward to tomorrow - the kiddos and i are going to have a little earlier start to the day, so we can accomplish a thing or two

relishing in reading a psalm and a proverb aloud each day with my family

asking for a little more mercy and grace - for me - and for me to share; thankfully the Giver of these good gifts delights in giving

wishing you a peaceful evening and a bright start to your tuesday

sweet energy bites

gather some goodies ::

• dates
• brown sugar
• butter
• slivered almonds
• gluten-free rice krispies (they are brown rice and they are yummy)
• raw, flaked coconut
• toasted sesame seeds or poppyseeds
• ground flax
• other nuts or grains of your choice
• parchment paper

do some melting and mixing ::

• in a heavy saucepan, melt 6 TBS butter, 1/2 c (or less) brown sugar, and 1 c dates (chopped if you wish)
• when melted, add about 4 TBS water and 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• remove from heat, cool a bit (for a couple minutes)
• stir in 2 c rice krispies, 1/2 c ground flax, 3/4 c chopped almonds, 1.4 c sesame or poppy seeds, 3/4 c raw coconut (these are all subject to your taste and discretion - mix up ingredients and amounts to your liking)

do some lining and pressing and finishing ::

• line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper
• scoop your mixture into the pan
• press the mixture flat and relatively evenly in the pan using another piece of parchment paper 

• refridgerate till firm
• grab the lining paper and pull the bar out of the pan
• cut into squares or rectangles (or stars or hearts or circles, it's up to you!)
• keep refridgerated (these do fine in a lunchbox, though they get stickier the warmer they are)
• enjoy a sweet bit of energy!

i came home last night to this . . .

made my night!  what goodness to come home to.  :)

wishing you a happy weekend!

we hope you enjoy the people and pastimes that make you happiest!

with love, from all four of us

insects with maddie and isaac

a fun summertime project - we all three had fun working on it!

i think the pictures are pretty self-explanatory ::

hello friends

it's been too long.  again. 

i don't really know where to start.  so, i'll just tell you that this morning i am

:: sitting on my brown couch in a living room that has been rearranged

:: drinking my second BIG mug of coffee (in the heart mug, stef)

:: listening to the two dogs playing outside and the quiet sounds of early morning

:: relishing this moment in the grey light when the day is new

:: counting my blessings, i have so many

:: refusing to be overwhelmed by how full next week will be (i work five of seven days)

:: realizing that means that i only work one of the following seven

:: anticipating a three-day weekend with my three best loves

:: remembering what it was like to set up toys (a city or a train or a pirate island with blocks or legos or cars and trucks) with my brother when we were young and playing with it for days on end

:: smiling as i look around the living room at what maddie and isaac have set up and continued to play with all week

:: planning my next few posts for this little blog

:: pinning lots of little inspirations, and not just pinning them, but using them, too (find me there if you can't find me here.  it's so easy and quick and on my phone.  i can peruse little bits of information and loveliness during my breaks at work and for a moment or two here and there without hooking up to and waiting for the computer)

:: enjoying our animals.  waiting for the first eggs.  hoping wilbur doesn't get out again (he's visited us at the house 3 times now . . . ).  keeping enough seed in my feeder for all the finches.

:: thinking about dear friends who live far away (maribeth, corly, sarah, liz, elissa, carmen, geertrude, alice, elaine, ellie, erin, leah, jeannine, jen) couldn't you all just come over, please?

:: laughing with amazement at how God brings encouragement just when we need it most

:: hoping that the lead ben followed yesterday will be the one that works out

:: wondering just what that could look like

:: resting in the promise His love is steadfast and endures forever

:: wishing you all a bit of sunshine or two, just for you, unexpected or sought out, today