ALL THE FLOWERS OF TOMORROW ARE IN THE SEEDS OF TODAY.
I bought this because it is one of my favorite gardening/life analogy quotes. I also love the one that says, “You can’t tell the quality of the soil until you plant the seed.” So profound. I think of my kids and friends with that one, as well as sharing the gospel. Hope you like it as much as I do!
Anyone who knows me knows that I ADORE great quotes. I picked up this sign in Omaha when I bought the other sign posted about here that seems to have sparked a nerve on Pinterest and has been repinned by so many. Since that one was so popular, I thought I’d share this one as well.
We are in love with our new fence stain! It is from Lowe’s and the Cabot brand. Before we moved, we stained our own deck and it lasted so much longer than those that were spray-stained. Anyway, it’s taken a ton of stain just to do the outside (about $650 worth for the whole fence) but we’ve been rolling and painting it on — and it looks great.
As we drove around the neighborhood, everyone seemed to have dark stains and we just didn’t want that look. This matches our guttering perfectly and I can’t wait to get some pretty vines over the fence in the spring. Fingers crossed it lasts for quite awhile — we’re not done staining the inside yet and we don’t want to have to redo it anytime soon. We have to hurry and get the inside done before the really cold weather sets in (yay snow!).
I saw this idea in a magazine and didn’t have access to the supplies they suggested so when I hit Lowe’s for some fence stain, I grabbed a 6′ x 8′ indoor/outdoor rug for $17 in black and cut it into two halves. One half I made into a round spider web and the other half I made into a very large oval spider web. We painted the lines on the round one with all-weather silicone caulking. I am afraid it isn’t going to stick very well or could be pulled off, so I’m going to get some white fabric paint and do the second rug (and re-do the white lines on the first one). It turned out really cute and it was cheap and easy! It’s a great way to fill a large porch with a custom sized rug and my Kindergartner enjoyed helping me draw the lines as we marked them out with a white crayon (we didn’t have any chalk on hand!) and it worked perfectly. He could easily help and follow the ruler — it was a fun, cheap, and quick family activity! Highly recommend!
Here is one of Ben — at first he held the yardstick while I drew the lines with a white crayon. Then, he begged and begged so I held the yardstick and he drew the lines perfectly fine! He’s a kindergartner, so if he can do it — anyone can! It truly is a cheap, easy family project for Halloween.
UPDATE Halloween 2012: This rug is still in silicone only and has held up really, really well! I did NOT go back over it with paint or anything else. Yay!
Just for fun, here is my all-time favorite Halloween decoration. At our house, the witch is ALWAYS in!!!
I remember a couple of these signs from Brooks’ running ad campaign around 2008/2009 — when I was in Omaha and hitting the gym regularly and running on the treadmill. I love to run outdoors, too, but I don’t mind 9 miles on the treadmill at all, either. It goes so fast with an mp3 player or a tv (if you want that!). While I prefer the right kind of tunes and no television, I enjoy the treadmill because you can pace yourself. Intervals is my idea of a good time!!! I love sprints on the treadmill. Crazy, I know. But I do enjoy the perspective of running outside — and there are days in the spring and fall when I would not trade outdoors for anything. This morning was a perfect example of one of those days!! Hooray for running! Hooray for design! Any mix of the two gets an A+ in my book.
I found a great new site this morning with inspirational design that I really quite like: cococozy. Take a look, but I’m warning you — you’ll browse for hours!
We love Oklahoma. We were all riding in the car and Ben piped up with the 2nd verse about his honeylamb so I figured I needed to get it on tape. We all stared at him in amazement since none of us knew all of those words! Apparently, this is what they teach in Kindergarten in Oklahoma and that’s OK by us!
It’s almost better than reading books and much more instantly gratifying: Pinterest. I love this site. It’s the new method of flipping through magazines for ideas and putting them all in one place: quotes, decor, motivation, design ideas, garden ideas, etc. Now if I could only get OFF pinterest and start working on my own abode…I’m still planning, okay?! This is everything I love all mixed in one.
I planted some mums in this cute planter and Don put them up near the front door for me – so cute! His honey-do list is shrinking.
I found the sign above on our trip to Omaha over Labor Day weekend and had to bring it home. Love it and it hangs in our living room now.
One busy final weekend before school began. We made a one-night trip and did so many things! Yes, only one night but we were able to stop outside of Springfield, MO and visit a Wildlife Safari that was some of the best fun we’ve had in awhile! There were zebras, cows, bison, bears, tigers, a giraffe, etc., and you could feed most everything. The boys had an absolute blast and the bus ride was well worth the extra cost. Highly recommend for a fun, quick adventure. Then, we went to Bass Pro in Springfield and drove on to Branson to spend the night. We ate at Lambert’s Cafe (our second time ever) and we will always drive out of the way to stop there if we are near the Ozarks. Love that place! Enjoy the pics.
A little smoochie with the hubs. I thought it was funny that two teenage girls were cleaning out the panther area and the bus drive said the display was for man-eaters. Cole took pictures. {Sigh} Teenagers.
Great video below of the tigers being fed chicken. The white one gets tired of giving the orange one chances and ends up taking it.
Waiting at Lambert’s Cafe (below).
Bass Pro fun (below).
We had a great drive a couple of weeks ago — it’s about 79 miles away but so, very worth it. We left on a Saturday around 3 p.m. which we thought might be too late to do anything but we had the nicest evening at this little Oklahoma swimming hole. It was $10 per car load and the water was so clear you could see minnows and tadpoles. We had a really fun time and stayed until closing, which was 8 p.m. I highly recommend it! It was 8 miles east of the town of Salina, Oklahoma near Kenwood. Just go to Salina and ask at the gas station — they’ll point you in the right direction! Great short drive. We can’t wait to go again!
So we had a great time in Tulsa at the Oklahoma Aquarium — AFTER we found it! The directions to get there are a little strange and since 75 South is closed in a section of downtown Tulsa and we didn’t have Lole, our beloved GPS, we were a little lost but managed to get there. We got to go on a behind-the-scenes shark tank tour full of bull sharks and it was really fun and fascinating, although I was afraid one of the boys would fall in! Now that the kids are back in school, I hope to be able to post more about what we’re doing and what we’ve done.
The boys waiting for the shark tour.
Cole took some great pics and this is a neat one of a special kind of jellyfish.
The boys searching for “clues”.
The boys are taking a Shotokan Karate / Mixed Martial Arts class here in Bartlesville. Cole went tonight and made the other teenagers (and instructor) gasp when he did his self defense techniques. I am so proud of him. Nobody wanted to volunteer to “attack” him after his very first demo. It’s a great dojo and it will take quite a bit of adjustment for him to learn their style, etc., but if anyone can do it, I know it’s Cole. I’m hoping it’s like learning a foreign language and the old will come naturally to him – I don’t ever want him to forget the instruction he’s received in Gretna and Taekwondo. Mr. Staack and his crew were the best teachers I have ever met and we miss them terribly! Cole has been so lucky to study under that organization.
This last pic is Benjamin sampling the cake balls that Cole made today. Thanks to Aunt Lili for the great Christmas present last year. They are so fun to eat – the kids just love ’em!
I’m just going to show a bunch of pictures. I think they speak for themselves. Frankly, I should still be too tired to type!
My office (above) may NEVER recover! I think I can get both large printers in there but the inlaid wood table was broken by the movers. :/
Here’s the kitchen island a little more presentable but we’re so not there yet! It’s going to take time, maybe a lifetime, but that’s just fine with me.
One last pic of the boys vegging out in the new family room. Who needs a formal living room anyway? This family room is “the” room and we are all loving it. We heart Bartlesville!!!
Cole made it back. Since he flew alone to Houston and then made it to Corpus Christi, sans camera, we don’t have any pics of the trip. We do, however, have this pic of his handsome face as he left us in a very messy home shortly after moving in. He made it out for his scout trip just in time to leave his father and me carrying Christmas decor into the attic in 102 degree Oklahoma weather. The things we parents do for our kids to have memorable experiences!