Treasure Finding

Goodness, this is a post from waaaay back in June! 

While Abigail was in NYC for a school trip (a birthday present from us), Scott and I had the most lovely day date! Gosh I took no pictures of us but we went to all of my favorite antique shops, stopped for tea, went out to lunch in a lovely favorite town, and found a piece for home that I've been wanting! 

Best of all was being able to talk talk talk and not work work work! He is my very best friend and I can't wait for another date! 

Abigail sent us pictures throughout the whole day and it was the best knowing she was with a best friend, able to find (not allergic) food, and seeing a Broadway musical! 

Here's the story with our treasure finding. I was antiquing in the early spring and I saw this table. I know... it doesn't look like much. It was in a booth and covered with not just dust but dirt. There were a few things for sale and not much else in the booth. I cleared it off and took a good look at it. I could tell the the 'bones' were good. Beautiful wood. Beveled glass. Character. Perfect for an area of our living room. I'd been looking for an antique console table forever! This was it! 

But no price. Not for sale. 

That didn't stop me. I headed to the desk, inquired about it, and they called the owner of the booth. Not home - left a message. 

And that was it. We headed home. Later that week I called to ask and they said they'd call her. It sort of felt like a dead end, over. 

But a few weeks later Scott and I had this day together and I wanted to try just one more time. 

This time they called the owner and she picked up. She said, "name a price". We went back and forth for a bit and I ended up putting this table in our car that day! 

I should have taken an 'after' picture. Just believe me, it's perfect. 

More than that, our day was perfect. 

Not Afraid of Hard Work

I think for Abigail, physical hard work might actually be relaxing for her. 

This old home (that we love dearly) needs a lot of work to keep it up. We are the caretakers of this beauty and are honored to do it. But it does take work. 

Just before the 4th this year Abigail and Scott worked hard on the patio. 

There was a lot of moss that had grown up and around the bricks: 

And it all had to be pulled out. At first Scott thought the power washer would just zap it out but it was in there deep so I it all had to be pulled out by hand. Now that was time consuming, hard work: 

The whole patio and that walkway that leads there. She worked for hours while Scott power washed the bricks: 

We have quite a list of this summer to get to and probably won't get to all of it but we're 'chipping away' and that feels so good! 

Dinnertime Devotionals ~ Nurturing Faith Through Feasting ~ Investing in the Heart of My Girls

Anna is twenty one.

Abigail is seventeen.

I am so excited about my girls and their future. We have so much to look forward to as a family, and I know that God will guide them along the way. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all you heart,

and do not rely on your own insight. 

In all you ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths. 

I am confident in their faith - they trust in the Lord. 

But... I take seriously my motherhood - still. 

This year I felt in my heart that there were some things that I wanted to make certain sure that I went over with them, taught them. Lessons from God's word, our catholic faith, and our own family values. 

So I spent the past school year scribbling into a notebook all that I still wanted to teach them. And I found that there was just so much! 

I knew we'd have our special teatime discipleships (here and here) but those were not as often. So I thought the best way to reach their hearts were those times we were together... dinnertime! I realized that there would be 72 dinners we would be having together this summer. 72 opportunities to nurture their hearts and teach their souls. 

Side note: Scott and I committed to eating dinner at home all summer long and not at all eating out with the one acceptation of our trip to Quebec, Canada and our upcoming short trip to Vermont. Why: 

1. Scott and amazing dinner cook - amazing! I do breakfast, lunches, snacks, treats, and cook dinner along side of him. So much better than anything we can order. 

2. For health - portions are much too large when we are in a restaurant and also when we cook dinner at home we have full control of the ingredients. 

3. It makes our vacations so much more fun - something special to look forward to. 

4. So much less expensive = more money for other things we love. 

I have read this book also which has been such an inspiration to me: The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith Through Feasting, One Meal at a Time. 

Each night of this summer I have a discussion prepared, a Bible verse, a message, a truth. And while we eat dinner every night we discuss. We ARE nurturing faith through feasting, one meal at a time. It has been such a blessing to me, their mama, to know that even now, even at 21 and 17 I am reaching their hearts, teaching, inspiring, discipling. 

This one quote from this book has been my anchor this summer: 

And when they realize they are one of those top priorities and you are CHOOSING to POUR INTO THEM with time, prayer, teaching, and connection, they get a glimpse of God's love and care for them. 

Also this: 

Your desire for a deeper friendship with your daughter will be evident in your commitment to spend time with her when the focus isn't on homework or household chore or negotiating technology time. 

What you share now in these intentional times stays with your daughter as she matures, makes tough decisions, moves away, has other mentors, creates her own circle of friends, and becomes a life-giver for others. 

These are five intentional commitments I believe in: 

1. I will welcome my daughters to come to me anytime. I will say yes to their desire to talk even when inconvenient. I'll avoid frustration by laying aside expectations to control life and commit to showing them the love of Jesus. 

2. I will create a safe place where they can say anything, ask any question, and know I will keep their confidences, hold their trust, and understand their failures. I will be someone they count on. 

3. I will prepare ahead for each discipleship time. 

4. I will be a conductor of life-giving moments of beauty, fasting, and living companionship. With music and treats and a pretty atmosphere, I will create a place of fun, pleasure, rest, and celebration in our home. 

5.  I will daily pray for them so that when they leave home they will have the foundations of biblical truth and virtue holding them and supporting them. 

Quilting

I wish it was me that could quilt. I certainly can not. But I love to find quilts and add them to our home. I've been enjoying this one recently for it's summertime loveliness. 

 

Summer Teatime Discipleship #2

I wrote about the first one back here  

Teatime Two: Light and Hope

John 8:12 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 

"I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness," 

but will have the light of life." 

We feasted on homemade chicken salad sandwiches on croissants. (I'd never made chicken salad so good before -- what a treat!). 

We immersed ourselves in God's Word and conversation about light and hope. 

God promises He is not only waiting on the other side of dark times, but also is walking through the darkness with us, holding our hands, guiding us, acting as our source of light and hope. 

Here are some verses we focused on: 

Matthew 5:14-16

Psalm 119:105

Matthew 4:16

I also made Butterscotch bars (but changed them to white chocolate chips - Abigail is allergic to dairy so butterscotch was out and Anna is allergic to chocolate but it all worked out) 

Another post you might like: Mentoring, Mothering, Discipling 

Strawberries in the Kitchen

Well, I packed up all of the red, white, and blue! Most of the kitchen as already summery but I changed around the table and shelves area where I keep tea, mugs and such. Here's a peek: 

I decided to take out our Strawberry china (Wedgwood) to enjoy for a while and I love it so much I had to stop and pick up some flowers! 

I adore Victoria Magazine and I'm often marking pages that inspire me so this photo shoot with my strawberry china feels like a page out of the magazine. 

I had to have this Emma Bridgewater mug -- it's perfect! 

Scott had a work meeting last week and it was near the Harney and Sons store... oh this Berry Cobbler tea! 

 

Summer Kitchen Tour

Gingham blue and pops of red strawberries make it a vintage, fourth of July, festive, summer kitchen. 

I love these old vintage tea towels that I cut and sewed for the little curtains. 

The baskets have been up all year and give it a homey, country look... and of course the sink skirt I still just love a sink skirt. 

That blue plate I found for a steal at a thrift store along with the Burleigh Asia Pheasants that were first made in England in 1862!  (link here) I dreaming of the matching teapot... 

Basket on the wall with a Susan Branch coookbook: Summer! 

I always adore a small lamp in the kitchen for a bit of cozy (even in the summer). I found this one at a tiny church thrift store. I was at first thinking of the autumn with it's navy but decided to give it a try for the summer and love it so much! 

The strawberry creamer and dish were a Laura Ashely find and lot's of milk glass tiny creamers. 

You'll have to click (here) to see the General Store up close! 

 These strawberry dishes make me so happy in the summer. Sometimes I'd see them on a shelf in the winter and keep thinking, it's coming! Summer is coming! 

Blue and white gingham and vintage strawberry dishes... such a joy to me! 

You can click (here) to see a few reels and some posts that are fun to look at with our summer kitchen.