Frugal Room Makeover

The older girls are a bit weary of their bright room and have been asking for a makeover. Currently it is a very cute with about every color in the rainbow present.

Now they are wanting a something a bit more grown up. Secretly I'm happy because I want to use their room as a guest room and this look might be more pleasing to the eyes of our guests.

I told them to pick out a color scheme they both love. They've chosen the ever trendy blue and brown. I think if they get tired of the blue that it will be easier next time to make a change.

So now I'm bargain shopping. So far we have curtains for $8 and and four flat sheets for $2 each. I plan to make duvet covers out of these for their existing comforters. We also have great plans to adorn these curtains. If possible, I'd like to spend less than $50. There's still paint, pillows, bed skirts and accessories to be made/purchased.

It's been fun planning and looking around for ideas. We are going to make the switch on our winter break.

How have you saved money when redecorating? I'd love to here of any ideas or resources you may have!

On the Road Again....

Sean had a four day weekend for Fall Break and we joined him on a little road trip to Northern Indiana. He was attending/speaking at a teacher's conference. I know that our vacation last summer was a once in a lifetime experience. We discovered that going places as a family brings us together in a special way. It doesn't have to be a month on the beach. It can be a trip up the road to see something new to us or a leisurely walk in the forest or a night together in a tent. It's good to go and it's even better to come home again.

God is good to provide opportunities such as these. The room was already paid for and Sean received a stipend for speaking. We won't be eating out again in October, but that's okay by me. It was more than worth it. And even better, gas prices went down at least $.50/gallon in the last week and we received a gas card upon checking out to the hotel. All good things come from His hand.

Our first stop was at Amish Acres. We arrived when the farm had already closed, but that didn't stop us from enjoying a family style meal in a huge barn. All of the food was locally grown and prepared from scratch. It was possibly the best fried chicken I have ever tasted.

After the huge meal came the deserts....Lemon, chocolate, shoe fly, banana cream, pumpkin, pecan, pumpkin pecan, cherry, apple or blueberry pie, apple dumpling, apple crisp, or apple cake. The children were thrilled to choose their very own piece from this tray.

Before leaving, we took our own mini tour and enjoyed the fall decorations outside.


While Sean was at the conference the next morning we set out to see what was in South Bend. Elizabeth asked the intelligent question, "Why is it called South when it is north?" Joseph was quite pleased with himself to learn that this city is on the south fork of the St. Joseph River. You would have thought they named it after him.

Using my favorite resource, "Kid's Love Indiana", we spent a few hours at the Healthwork's! Kid's Museum. (Sorry, forgot the camera.) We played in the exhibits and saw two science demonstrations. We got to experiment with healthy pig lungs and pig lungs infused with tar from cigarettes. Interesting. I think the consensus was, "Mom, I don't ever, ever, ever want to smoke! Ever!"

Next, we scooted on over the the South Bend Chocolate Company for a tour and some treats. Can you imagine the delight in the heart of our chocolate man?


Ignoring that fact that John snagged some forbidden chocolate off the production rack from the stroller and that Joseph almost sneezed into a vat of chocolate, it was a huge hit with all the kids.


On the ride home we visited Potato Creek State Park and ran around in a prairie grass maze.


We are having fun planning up our next winter excursion. Looks like it might involve tobogganing down a luge at 40 miles an hour. Stay tuned.

But as always, it's good to be back home again. Looking forward to a day of worship, rest and reading in God's Word tomorrow.

Strange Happenings

Sometimes I just have to laugh at the goings on in this house. I really do try to manage the children. Really I do. But I'm sure I don't know even the half of what happens when I'm not looking.

Last week, after being gone for two days, I went to lay sweet John down to bed. I pulled back the covers to find a disturbing sight- a roll of ground turkey bulging and ready to explode. Why? How could this be? It was like handling a live grenade. Scary. All I could picture is putrid raw turkey meat splattered all over the walls. It was a bad scene. Apparently, John had an ouchy and helpful Rebekah decided that he needed some ice. But, you see, we didn't have any ice, so she used the meat instead. I don't even want to know how many nights he had been sleeping with that meat.

Then today Hannah was making banana bread and was concerned that the oven was smoking. She kept telling me that "all the burnt stuff on the bottom of the oven is getting too hot!" Well, I thought little batter had overflowed and spilled on the bottom and ignored it. No big deal, right?

Later when cleaning up the kitchen, I picked up the sugar container that was sitting on the back burner and sugar poured out through a hole in the bottom. Yep. She set the sugar on the oven vent while baking. The plastic melted and there was sugar all the way up the pipe. It was burning out the other end into the oven. The oven has since been vacuumed, but I'm kind of afraid to turn it on.

Discipline

My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

-Proverbs 3:11-12

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. -Galatians 6:1-5

I am so thankful this Lord's Day that God's word is so clear as to not only how we should act, but how we should be thinking rightly about ourselves and others. My prayers today are for those being disciplined and seeking restoration as well as the confession of my own willful sins. These are hard times for many. May the Name of the Lord be praised. He is our Redeemer God.

Happy Birthday, Rebekah!

Dear Becca Becks,

The morning you were to be born Daddy and I drove to the hospital in the dark singing together Psalm 16. "Preserve me O, God, for in you do I trust...." We had sung it at church the evening before and it was our prayer for what your birthday would hold.

We did not know it at the time, but God knew all along that your journey into this world would be a dangerous one for us both. A diligent nurse, Cindy, caught the early signs of trouble and worked hard to save you. The doctor ran back into the hospital and took us into surgery. In just moments everything had changed.

I went to sleep really fast not knowing if you would be okay. Not knowing if you were a boy or a girl. Not knowing what we would be facing when I woke up. I should have been a lot of pain- you were ready to be born! I remember feeling nothing. God was singing His Psalm to me and I was singing it back to Him from under my oxygen mask. The nurses kept trying to take off the mask so that I could talk to them. I kept putting it back on telling them that I was just praying.

When I did wake, I saw you, Rebekah, our fifth daughter with lots of dark, brown hair and petite feminine features. I loved you the minute I saw you there with your oxygen mask on. I held you and kissed you and cried. We were quite a sight!

I can't imagine our family without you here. Your sweet giggles, your sense of humor, your flexibility, your eagerness to be a helper are just a few of the things that bless me every day.

Happy birthday my big four year old girly girl! I'm sorry that you are sick on your birthday. Your cream of wheat wouldn't hold candles for you to blow out, so we'll just have to eat cake later.

Love,
Your Mommy

Spring Mill State Park

We had a wonderful time away exploring the working pioneer village at Spring Mill State Park in Southern Indiana. We saw a working leather shop, smithy, weaver and grist mill. The weather was gorgeous and the interpreters so engaging to all of the kids. My favorite part was just being outdoors. We aren't quite up for an adventurous hike at his point, but John and I did catch a nap on a big blanket under the trees. Perfect.






State park inns are some of the best hotels. They are extremely affordable, clean, uniquely decorated and geared for large family gatherings. Spring Mill Inn has an indoor pool and large game room with ping pong and lots of board games. Often families can be found there eating takeout in their pajamas. That's my kind of place.



And to end our trip on a more perfect note, on the way home we stopped by to visit my friend, Cindy, and her wonder dog, Cheddar.

I don't even want to blink

So many times people will see the kids after a long absence and be shocked by how much they've grown and changed. This always stops me in my tracks. They have? When did that happen? Why didn't anyone tell me what was going on? I expect this response when it comes to the baby, but not so much the older kids.

Other times I'll watch them from across the room or walk behind them down the stairs or see them sleeping in their beds and it will hit me. How is it that she carries herself with the confidence of a young lady? When did he stop holding on the the banister? These beds must be shrinking because those toes are poking over the edge!

Time is flying. I am with the kids all of the time, yet I fear that I will miss these growing years by being caught up in the "urgency" of dishes, laundry, shopping, schedules and the dailiness of life.

In a couple of years our oldest will be going to High School and after that there will be a steady stream of birds leaving the nest. I am beyond thankful that we have been able to have them home together as we have. I love it that Lydia reads to John for his afternoon nap. I love it that I've had time to teach Hannah how to cook and bake. I love it that Miriam and Joseph enjoy building lego cities together. I love it that Rebekah has her older sisters around to teach her how to dress up like a princess and play kitchen.

Life is not perfect, but it sure does have its sweet spots.

Sean is leaving for Texas tomorrow and we are headed off the pick apples with our homeschool group. I'm going to keep driving south after that and surprise the kids with an overnight at a State Park. I'd considered all the work I could get done here at home, but there won't be many more fall days like these. I don't want to miss the opportunity to make another memory for the kids. I don't even want to blink.