what I am thinking today:

Source: etsy.com via Sara on Pinterest

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Source: teacuptree.blogspot.com via Sara on Pinterest

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I have not baked a cake today, though. I have refrained and eaten my carrot sticks! :)

4 elements of the perfect birthday:

#1- birthday date with my luv


#2 good food
We went to a Tropical Smoothie Cafe for the first time. I got the Mediterranean grilled flat bread and it was out of this world good. (Hummus, cilantro, lime, tomato, onion, banana pepper, lettuce, & Parmesan).



#3- CAKE! (Gigi's cupcakes again....please disregard the celery video for this post :)

You cannot go wrong with the chocolate on chocolate with chocolate chips...





#4- Shopping with birthday money!
OK- is this sign not the cutest thing you have ever seen in your life?!?! The colors, the fonts, the quote! LOVE. I saw it, I fell in love, I bought it, I brought it home and put it up in the kitchen window. This sign could go absolutely anywhere in our house.


36 is starting off on a good foot :)

i'm turning over a new *celery* leaf

What was funny is that when I turned off the camera, all 3 kids were clamoring for a piece of celery!

Who eats celery out there?

Celery is a funny word.

doll house update

We did end up painting the top room- a pale peach. New burlap window treatments....



I'll tell you what - this house is extremely hard to get good pictures of. We had a little lamp shining on it to fill each room with light. Anyone know of a good dollhouse electrician who makes (doll)house calls?!


I have been dying to wallpaper a wall using starch- somewhere! Anywhere! We thought the dollhouse would be a good place to practice. It worked like a dream.


I found this Sta-Flo liquid starch in the laundry detergent isle at Wal-Mart for under $3. I just cut fabric squares, painted a part of the wall with starch, stuck the fabric on, smoothed it out and then brushed starch on top. It was all dry by the next day.


We used this method for the bottom right room on the floor, and back wall ( I painted the red polka dots). And also for the right middle room on the walls and rug. I am going to try this on a wall in our house too. The fabric is completely adhered to the wall, but will peel off cleanly! [Oh what possibilities!!]

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Check out this list:
104 things to do when you're bored by my {famous} friend Candace AKA Frugal Mom. This has been a huge help at our house...the kids have: carved soap, hid messages in the house, taught the dog new tricks, made bow and arrows with a stick and string....(this was all done yesterday and with no help from me. I took Candace's advice and taped the list to the fridge- I do occasionally have to read the list to our 5 year old...may just be easier to teach her to read :)

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I totally cried when I read this article: Motherhood as a Mission Field

And I totally cried when I listened to these podcasts:
(maybe you should read and listen to these too and tell me if you cry- so I'll know if it is actually the content or just basically hormonal)

• Number Your Days
• Giving to God First
• Buy Some Stamps (this one especially made me cry- about writing letters- specifically to your children)

what's on...?

on the coffee table

on the wall

on the fridge

on the washing machine

on the clipboard

on the floor

on the bookshelf

on the mantle

on the window

on the floor

on the child

she needs her own art blog

my favorites:
the 3 lamps
the girl getting something out of the dresser
the girl swinging on the porch swing
the green and yellow polka dot table in the top right room
the tiny bunk beds

first sewing project (it's a sled, mommy)


I would rather have this on my wall than most anything...

watermelon pops

Fun to make


Fun to eat


Fun to photograph


Fun to eat (did I mention that one?)
See here for recipe.

a different color palette

Reminds me of fall.
This is the 8th pillow I've made while traveling. We just need to get on the road more and everyone I know would have one :)


How is your Monday going? We have had a really good one so far- and I am very thankful. A good Monday is a rare jewel!! The kids slept in a little longer...I was able to get all the weekend mess shoveled away..some laundry done, Bible reading and prayer time was good...ran a mile on the treadmill...swam with the kids...it's 1:25 in the afternoon and I'm ready for bed :) :)

the sweetest town in the USA: Hershey, PA

We had such a good time on our vacation this year. We have been back for a few weeks, but I am still editing photos and relishing the sweet memories that we made.


We loved every single second in Hershey, PA. Here we are outside of the Hershey factory. I got out of the car to try and get a good photo of the HERSHEY COCOA spelled out on the lawn. The air smelled sooo good and chocolaty from where I stood.


Hershey Park was a dream for us. Our kids were just the right ages. For some of the time we split up; Dave taking the boys on roller coasters and our girl and I enjoying the kiddie rides.

I can only just look at the roller coasters with awe. Gone are my roller coaster days. I can't even explain it. Before Dave and I got married, I would go to amusement parks with friends and go on any ride. After Dave and I got married we went to a Six Flags and rode the Batman ride. I thought I was going to die. Never again. So no, I did not go on the Super Dooper Looper. But I went on the carousel and the choo-choo and the ladybugs :)


Even the street lights were adorable in Hershey! We loved the street names too.








A school on the hill with Welcome to Hershey written into the landscaping.


Hershey chocolate factory


You can't get tours of the actual factory anymore, but they have a ride that goes through a simulated factory.

Thanks to my darling husband for planning our vacation.


You are a Jolly Rancher indeed.



Good bye, Hershey Park, until next time :) We have to be back...we bought the refillable cup!

more decoupage

Circles on our red stool.

Happy Thursday to you :) :)

things i love today:

[1] Stripes + flowers!! Inspired by Shannon's rug, I painted this table white...added the black stripes, then decoupaged the flowers on top. (I used scrapbook paper + a muffin liner for the flowers; I usually get my scrapbook paper at Michaels or Archivers)


{2} Muffin cups from Michaels dollar section!


(3) The box of alphabet magnets in all fonts and sizes that we got at a yard sale for .50 cents!!


[5] The power of a praying wife and the power of a praying parent. These books are awesome! A huge help to me each day when I long to pray effectively and specifically for my loves.

{6} Speaking of prayer: today I read Colossians 1- in it is a wonderful prayer to pray for your friends and loved ones:

⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

¹¹ We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,^{[a] 12} always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

Colossians 1:9-12

Linking up today with:

((answer to Erna's painting the dollhouse question: we are using acrylic- I use acrylic for everything!))