Learning How to Be Flexible in Marriage

One of the lessons marriage is teaching me is the importance of being flexible.

 

A few weeks ago, my darling man's work schedule changed. And we were/are thrilled! Instead of working 1 pm to 9 pm my hardworking man works from 9 am - 7 pm. Yes, he did get more hours in a day but instead of two days off he now has three! How wonderful! Not only are we blessed with an extra day off but he gets home much earlier than he used to -- perfect for having friends over or enjoying an evening out together.

 

And yet, despite the goodness of this change, I find my rigid, stick-to-the-schedule personality being stretched a bit. For nearly a year I had grown accustom to Dalton only having two days off and spending his mornings at home. Now, our mornings are a little busier than normal, the time of his absence longer and the workweek shorter.

 

At first I noticed that I was feeling a little uptight -- why should I be feeling stressed over these good changes?

 

I'm sure you too can relate. Perhaps your husband's schedule changed as well or maybe he lost his job and spends most of his hours at home with you and the babies? Maybe he has volunteered and is needed elsewhere?

 

I simply want to encourage you, dear one, to embrace the change. Embrace the challenges and joys life gives and, above all, practice being flexible. For many of us, it is easy to become stressed and weirded-out over changes  (even the good ones!). When that stress comes at you remember these three things:

 

 

Remember that God is uses these changes for good, that change is a natural part of life and that when you feel out-of-the-loop and a little stressed that God understands and invites you to His throne of grace.

 

Oh, and one last thing.

 

Choose joy.

 

Choose to accept the change in your schedule.

 

And choose to love those in your home.

 

With lots of love!

 



Spring Around The House // Bunnies, Plants and Eggs

Spring has sprung around our little place and with it comes new beauty, fresh greenness and plenty of song birds.

 

Oh, and a heavy dose of spring fever.

 

I've been itching the last several weeks for the colder days to pass; while I wait, I have been making tiny adjustments in our apartment. I think wiping the dust from our homes, airing out rooms and decorating in simple ways is an excellent way to usher in the joys of spring.

 

 

In the kitchen, two bunnies (Mr. Salt + Miss Pepper) have found their way on the bakers wrack. A little jar is filled with flowering weeds a little friend gave me a few days ago.

 

While I wash dishes the (deliciously yummy!) scent of eucalyptus wafts from the front window. I found a bunch for $2.99 at Trader Joes. :)

 

Tiny spring touches have come to the living room. Do you remember the spray-painted branches I made in February? They are now "blooming" with yellow and white tissue paper blossoms.

 

(Heeheehe, you may also see dirty laundry waiting to be watched. Ooops! :)

 

A little rocking chair was recently given to us by sweet friends ... I love my new seat as it is perfect for my height! (No more tippy-toe rocking for me! :) The chalkboards have phrases like "Alleluia" and "Abundant Mercy" scribbled over them in an effort to bring Resurrection Sunday to mind.

 

The rest of the living room is decorated with tiny pastel colored eggs from Hobby Lobby. Dalton enjoyed tucking them into different places around the house. He is such a cutie. :)

 

Out the door our flower bed is beginning to grow -- since this is our first spring here I am unsure as to what will be coming up but I think we have some roses, daffodils and tulips among the mix.

 

Last week I enjoyed laying new mulch over the dead leaves. Our neighbors (who are avid gardeners) were so kind in offering their bags of mulch and soil. Lord willing, D and I will try to grow some veggies in containers along the small driveway.

 

Does anyone know what this little beauty is?

 

Look closely and you will see our friends Miss Dove, Mr. Squirrel and three different feathered ones enjoying the bird feeder my daddy gave for Christmas.

 

I would *love* to see how you are ushering springtime into your homes and lives. Are you spring cleaning? Redecorating? Finishing finals? Trading in hot drinks for summer time treats like iced coffee?

 

Tell me what's going on -- I'd love to know!

 

With lots of love, blessings and hugs,

Guest Post // Growing Green Things with a Brown Thumb (OF DEATH)

 

 

Pssst ...

 

Do you love growing green things but possess a brown, killer thumb?

 

Wish you could grow something other than various sorts of cacti?

 

Have you ever dreamed of planting veggies which actually grow?

 

If you tend to kill any poor tendril before it has a chance to bear fruit (or just enjoy learning something new) please stop over at Carolann's cheery space, A Happy Homemaker.

 

Yesterday, she graciously hosted my post, Growing Green Things with a Brown Thumb (OF DEATH). In this short article you'll learn a little of reversing your plant-killing-fortune and discover the magic of regrowing used veggies.

 

It really is magical

 

and quite a bit of fun.

 

Please leave a comment and while you're there do check out Carolann's place. She always has easy, fun recipes and lots of heartfelt encouragement for all. One of my favorite's is Carolann's Do You Thank Your Husband?

 

Much love, blessings and coffee to you!

Setting Up Your Bookcase

 

 

I love books.

 

I love holding them, hoarding them and harboring them neatly on my shelves.

 

I have a problem.

 

 

 

I also love bookcases.

 

I love making sure the books are ordered into matching subjects and then I subject the groupings to specific shelves.

 

And I love making the shelves pretty. In keeping with the living room's brown, cream and soft turquoise colorings, I painted the backboard with my favorite chalkpaint. On top of the case I put some of my favorite knick-knacks: a beautifully framed burlap monogram, our salt covenant bags + a few books.

 

A clock which chimes hymns, a few of Dalton's hand-carved soup figures and a D & F seem to feel at home and keep the books company.

 

 

Are you a lover of books or shelves or both? What sort of collections fill your shelves?

 

With love, coffee and lots of happy books!

The Joys of Dust // Cleaning Tales

 

 

 

I've found keeping house one of the greatest joys of life. For as long as I can remember, I've delighted in making ordinary things beautiful, penciling in order where there is chaos and finding ways to make things work smoothly.

 

(Of course, though, there are plenty of times when I don't want to laundry ... my most detested chore)

 

You cannot imagine the joy I had when, after being away for several days for our honeymoon, I was able to get back into routine. The laundry pile had become a tumbling mountain on top of the washer, floors were needing vacuumed and bills asking to be paid.

 

Of course, when all's done and the broom has been put back into the closet, I also enjoy the pleasantness of having an afternoon to blog, drink coffee and watch Sense and Sensibility. I keep dreaming of chocolate cake in the future, too.

 

What kind of woman are you? Do you enjoy keeping house? Have you discovered your favorite and least favorite task?

 

With love, coffee and a clean house (woot woot!),

Guest Post // Four Ingredients for Hospitality

Guess what, dear readers?

 

I wrote a guest post.

 

And I'd love for you to visit its home ... a lovely, bright blog named A Happy Homemaker. Carolann is the domestic queen reigning over there; her kindred spirit writes about the joys of being newly married. She also shares a lot of yummy recipes and really good material on anxiety. Her blog is a treat and one I know you'd love to check out.

 

While you're there, check out the post I wrote titled Four Ingredients for Hospitality. It's all about how to practice (and enjoy!) the biblical command of hospitality when you're:

 

introverted,

 

new,

 

on a budget,

 

and full of other excuses.

 

 

With love,

d.i.y. // Chalkpaint + Branches

 

 

I love the way branches seem to make everything more beautiful; earlier this year I ransacked the side of our driveway scouring for just the right set. Afterwards, I sprayed the grass over as I painted the branches with a few good coatings muted gold spray-paint.

 

I also found a empty spaghetti jar and bathed the insides with the most lovely shade of turquoise (the perfect color to add "pop" to our living room's cream + brown hues). The chalk-paint came in the most adorable little jar from Hobby Lobby. I've painted nearly everything I can get my hands on with it. :)

 

Sometimes, the simplest of things can bring so much joy.

 

Dearhearts, what have you been up to lately? Have you set your hands to making beautiful things?

 

With love, coffee, and lots and lots of snow!

Meg + John | Really in Love and Really Realistic

 

 

I'm not sure if there is a more enjoyable, entertaining group of words than Louisa May Alcott's description of Meg and John's first home. Join me in laughing over this descriptive, life-like look into a first home. ♥♥♥

 

"... And speaking of sentiment brings us very naturally to the `Dovecote'.

 

 That was the name of the little brown house Mr. Brooke had prepared for Meg's first home. Laurie had christened it, saying it was highly appropriate to the gentle lovers who `went on together like a pair of turtledoves, with first a bill and then a coo'.

 

  It was a tiny house, with a little garden behind and a lawn about as big as a pocket handkerchief in the front. Here Meg meant to have a fountain, shrubbery, and a profusion of lovely flowers, though just at present the fountain was represented by a weather-beaten urn, very like a dilapidated slopbowl, the shrubbery consisted of several young larches,  undecided whether to live or die, and the profusion of flowers was merely hinted by regiments of sticks to show where seeds were planted. But inside, it was altogether charming, and the happy bride saw no fault from garret to cellar. To be sure, the hall was so narrow it was fortunate that they had no piano, for one never could have been got in whole, the dining room was so small that six people were a tight fit, and the kitchen stairs seemed built for the express purpose of precipitating both servants and china pell-mell into the coalbin.

 

 But once get used to these slight blemishes and nothing could be more complete, for good sense and good taste had presided over the furnishing, and the result was highly satisfactory. There
were no marble-topped tables, long mirrors, or lace curtains in the little parlor, but simple furniture, plenty of books, a fine picture or two, a stand of flowers in the bay window, and, scattered all about, the pretty gifts which came from friendly hands and were the fairer for the loving messages they brought."

 

Little Women, chapter 24

Linens + Drawers: Small House Organizing

 

Finding a place for everything can be a challenge when you live in a small(ish) home; but, what better chance to give your beautiful, creative self some space and freedom to discover smart, nice-looking, useful ways of hiding all the junk gadgets running a home requires?

 

 

I have found our baker's wrack to be so helpful in organizing the odds and ends which beg to be in the kitchen. I cherish this particular piece of furniture; when we married I asked my momma if I could take it along; for as long as I can remember it graced my mother's kitchen and dining area and I love it.

In one drawer I store doilies, table runners and cloths, napkin rings, and other beautiful towels and coverings. Most of these beauties were gifts (do you see your lovely set, Mrs. Elizabeth?) while others came along with my hope chest.

 

I also keep the more practical items like plastic silverware and paper plates along with aprons in the baker's wrack. I love knowing where everything belongs.

 

Of course, the fabled junk drawer requires a pretty area where it can collect odds and ends like lint rollers, pens, and flashlights.

 

 

Below the wicker drawers I keep some of our cookbooks and also store Dalton's chess pieces and our card game ... Dutch Blitz, anyone?

 

The a few more cookbooks are neatly stacked ... beneath one of our living room couches! :) There just wasn't quite enough room.

 

 

While I'm at it, don't you just love the message board Dalton made me for Christmas? It has a chalkboard, a place to pin notes, and also four adorable clips for hanging things like to-do lists, schedules, and menus. It was one of my favorite gifts this year and I love using it in our kitchen.

 

 

Where do you store the odds and ends your kitchen needs? Or maybe you've found some great organizational ideas ... message me on Pinterest and I'll be sure to check it out!

 

Love + blessings,

Nickleby, Cornstarch and Cookies || Or How I Spent My Weekend

Hello, sweet friends!

The sun is out, children are playing across the street, windows have been letting breezy, fresh air in, and things are happening here on Madeline Street.

Lately, I have been engaged in the Battle of the Blow-Nose, Head-Cold ... I tell ya ... it's been a rough two to three weeks mainly because I am typically in good health. Nevertheless, I press on (not really ... there were two days when nothing happened unless it involved napping, pjs all day or more napping). :) But I digress.

Yesterday, I caught craft-fever and after I dropped my beloved off at work I stopped by the library and picked out the week's entertainment.

 



I had never seen Nicholas Nickleby ... it is, by now, one of my most favorite of movies. I'm in the process of begging D to watch it with me. :)

I also managed to make my to-do list and cross off a few items.

 

 

A few weeks ago, my sweetest friends and family threw me a 25th bowling birthday-party. It was so much fun and I felt like I needed to get some cards off in the mail to say thank you.

 

 

 

 

I had also seen this easy, healthy cookie recipe floating around Facebook and decided to give it a try.

 

 

 

 

They turned out amazing! As a die-hard cookie-lover, I was afraid these would taste like hippies from a commune had made them. ;) The recipe made a small batch -- just perfect for two -- and my health-conscious husband loved them just as much as I.

 

Today, I spent some time listening to worship music and trying to decide what our house should look like come Valentine's Day. I know it's too early to decorate for February 14th but since my beloved and I are will be away during the earliest days of February (for a nice, surprise, honey-moon!) I thought it would be a good idea to start now so that when we return everything will be ready for the holiday.

 

 

I had thought this tutorial for cornstarch ornaments too adorable to not try ... the recipe was easy to follow and fun to do. I'm still not sure if I'm as crazy about them as I originally was but they are cute and I'll take the next few days to see if the hearts grow on me. :) 

 

What thinkest thou?

 

I'm off to peck-out a chalkboard tutorial for Monday, finish my new design and bake bread. I am *so* thankful for the opportunity to stay home ... it is such a joy to spend time crafting!

 

With lots and lots of love, banana-cookies, and smiles,

 

Frannie