Happy Hauntings

Our family was given the opportunity to go to Happy Hauntings at Dutch Wonderland this year... It was a ton of fun!
Yes we look bundled up... We had to take pictures on the train...

It was COLD! We went on Sunday and it had snowed and closed the park the day before...

 Connor driving on the "Transylvania turnpike"  BEST lines ever... we walked right up ... no waiting at all!

"spooky" walk though scenes... arm floating in water.. they took the usual displays and made them look haunted.. instead of an Amish woodworker it was an Amish mad scientist working on a Frankenstein like monster. really really cute.

And of course we couldn't resist this photo opportunity .. Connor was a little sad about being the girl....

The "scary go round" it had skeletons clipped to the outside that swung as it went around... again not scary but cute.

Everything was geared for kids... we watched a cute little show ... they were transfixed!

And we finished the night by taking a boat ride around a "haunted"river trail. Honestly I think  this gives Jason's Woods and Field of Screams a run for their money ... well at least while my kids are 4 and 2 years old...

Great memories thanks Amber!!

Before and After .. not a party

October 29th 2011We had the First major snowfall in October since 1972 (before I can remember)

It was a wet, heavy, sloppy snow that took down a good bit of the tree's in our yard...

Before

When we got home Saturday afternoon (we had left to visit my parents.. no idea we would come home to this) this is what we found.. and LARGE branches were still snapping off as we ran the kiddo's from the car into the house...

 

 The following day after my husband, father and brother worked all day to "clean up" the mess

Looks like tomorrow Momma is going to learn how to use a chainsaw....

We ARE very thankful both of our cars were spared. Husbands car had branches fall on 3 sides of it. Our house and garage were also spared.. and believe it or not we never lost electricity. God is good all the time.

Day 1: Our "Cabin"

Daddy is out of town for the week so me and my little boys are taking adventures on all by ourselves...

Today was a beautiful fall day... After raking this weeks (haha if ONLY no more leaves would fall all week...) out of the yard I had an idea... I was looking at some sticks I had piled up in teepee fashion to get out of my way... I wonder if I could make something large enough for the boys to get in...

We have a bunch of old shutters left over after painting our house... and there it was my inspiration...a shutter teepee ...

NOW I must admit... I AM NOT a "woodworker" I am not the "cut once measure twice" kind of girl.. I'm the "hummm this looks close"... "it will look better after its painted" kind of girl.  

I am stuck... I am not sure what to do about the top... None of the shutters were the same size.. soooo at the top I have a separation between the first two.... 

I tried shingles... (old and dry rotted) did not work.. I thought maybe an old weather-vane BUT I am not sure how to get it to attach... really missing my logical husband... but we had fun building and playing... we played "big bad wolf " and I blew their house in...

 

Oh what fun it is to be a kid!

 I let them paint their names inside... it looks more like cave drawling... but I LOVE it!

Today was fun... I am very thankful, I hope tomorrow goes as smoothly!

Alone Time

I  have been having a hard time getting the words out this week that I want to get out...So in my quiet time this week I have just been in the word...

I have been filled with so many feelings that are difficult for me to express like:

Stress

Anxiousness

Frustration

and Sadness

I have been struggling with not being where I want to be... feeling not in control of the situation... feeling without answers of solutions to the many problems...

I was and am continuing to give the different situations to God.. Trying to let go of my need to control everything... I have been spending time trying to apply Philippians 4:6-7 to my struggles... Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I have also been relying on Isaiah 43:2-3 for comfort When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God.

Tour of the Shed * Update*

I took a tour of the shed today and I came upon a few idea's...

Old broken director's chair   =   Stool?

After I took apart the  director's chair I could see the hinges being used to connect some old shutters I had laying around in the shed too... maybe a room divider...

Now because I do NOT like  to document my failures... I did not take a "before" picture
BUT this is what I came up with...
I took the old chair apart.. it was missing an arm and the fabric to make it a seat. I painted everything black and took a drop cloth and stretched it across the top stapling it on the sides... It could be used as a foot stool or as a side table, I chose side table, and placed a tea tray on top. I have it placed in my mishmashed living room full of hand me down furniture and home made things...

The Shutters I painted and took the hinges from the chair and attached them all together.. I feel like it is plain and is in need of some kind of additional detail, But I am not sure what that is yet...

I love this look...

 

BUT than again I might end up doing something like this...

so many possibilities... I may even move  it outside....

**Once I finished this post I became consumed with finding a place for these shutters... I added some hardware from my Husbands grandmother's old hutch and Placed it behind a ladder I had in the Hall upstairs... I couldn't leave the project as it was... I still need to find something for the hooks, but for now i feel better about the project...

Also I recently found this chair at Goodwill for 3.00 and I decided to paint it today...
Before (ish) again I don't know why I don't take pictures when I start.... but here is is after I removed the seat and sanded it down

 Here is the finished chair.. yet another add on to the mishmash that is my living room...

-Momma

Wonderful Weekend

What wonderful weather we had this weekend! It is warm... between 75-80 degrees during the day!  and the evenings cool off nicely to a brisk 52 degrees .. simply fall's perfection.

...with this wonderful weather all I want to do is be outside enjoying it, this weekend I got the chance to do just that...

We got to enjoy the Penn State Iowa game!... We really could not have asked for a nicer day.. or nicer weather... or a better result of the game!

The leaves are just beginning to change... maybe in another week they will be at their peek...

Our small tailgate before the game...

State College is always so beautiful... you feel like you are in the middle of a huge city... But really you can see the hills just beyond the stadium...

The Stadium... It always looks so HUGE.. I LOVE it!

  

Me and My Husband ...

The "S" zone

 

 This game has 103 Thousand people... not the largest crowd.. but still a bunch of fun!

 We Won!

What a great day in State College... Can't wait to do it again next year!

perspective

Sometime I just need reminded of my perspective...
recently I have been on an "I WANT" kick...
I want a new Living room.. I want more room to sit... mainly new (clean) couches...
I want a new dining room table... one large enough to have family and friends over...
I want to reface my kitchen cabinets... and get new appliances ones that match and an oven that is NORMAL size...
I want a new car... preferably an suv so my kiddo's can have friends come over and we have room for them in our car...
I want..
i want...
i want...
oh how easily I forget all the wonderful things I HAVE...
I was humbled yesterday talking to my Daddy... I was pouring out my wants to him and he simply said what happens when you get all those things? won't you just want more?

ahh simple truth... I don't need to be in such a rush to get "everything"
I just need to be thankful for what I have...  make "improvements" where I wan on what I can...
I began to paint my hallway and I think it looks way better than before...
I re-arranged some things in my kitchen and there is some more counter space and I am happy for that.

I painted a chalk board over the kiddo's "school" desk in the play room... and they are really loving that so far...

Now on to enjoy this Beautiful day.... clear blue sky's...cool breeze...and warm SUN... thank you Jesus!

Things I want to do.. ramblings

Ahh the weather has gotten COLD! and all my outdoor projects are slowly moving indoors...
I started to finish painting in the hallway upstairs...FINALLY...

I have also been seriously considering  having Thanksgiving at our house this year... But I need a nice BIG table to fit everyone... my 5 foot table is just not cutting it....
I really really like this one I found... but it is 836.99 and that is rather expensive for me and it only expands to be a 6 1/2 foot table...

 I also liked this one... But it was even smaller...and at 629.99.. it is also not really an option... so I searched on Craigs list...

 And I found this one!.. for 175.00 plus 4 chairs it could work... a little paint here and there I could make it look similar to the one above.. but with only 1 leaf it will only expand to 6 1/2 feet... i just wish i could find a LARGE farm table with about 5 or 6 leaves that doesn't need TOO much work for me to re-do...

I know if I WANT to do this project I need to move on the table... hummm what to do...

ALSO....
I really want to "antique"a mirror like this in my hallway...

 I would Love Love Love a clean, dry, non basement smelling place to do my laundry and hang it up do dry on something like this ladder!

wish, wish, wish my list goes on...