Spring Projects and Wish List

My hubby is a tax man, so from January to mid April, he is crazy busy at work.  However, after tax season is over, we always begin our spring projects.  

We always seem to have a running list of things we want to paint, stain, change out, pitch, or re-vamp around here.  Since we've lived here for going on 14 years now, I guess that's understandable...right?

Our first major spring project will be to paint the fence beside the driveway, the eaves of the house, and the fence in front of the house.  The photos will help you see why we want to spruce things up a bit!

No, the shed isn't ours (sadly), but the sad looking fence is ours.  We painted it several years ago, but as you can see, time has taken its toll on it and it could use a real pick-me-up.  We have a brick home, so we're looking at colors that would compliment the colors that are in the brick.  

 

Who knew how hard it would be to choose a paint color?  Thankfully, we have Lisa, my sister-in-law, who has an amazing eye for color and interior (and exterior) design.  She helped us choose two paint colors that we'll use on the fences, around the windows of the house, and on the eaves.

For the indoor spring projects, I'm ready for a "new" kitchen and dining room look.  I love, love my fruit stencil, so I am going to keep that I think.  

The paint colors that Lisa chose are two different shades of green.  She suggested that the two end walls could be the darker shade and the side walls could be the lighter shade.  That way, the kitchen wouldn't feel closed in and yet, the two different shades would add some dimension and visual interest.  I love the idea!

Yes, this is our kitchen and dining room.  It's not huge, but it's a good size for us.  The curtains would probably still work in here, but I'm not sure I'm going to keep them.  Knowing me, I'll find some terrific fabric and want to make new valances.  

We did get a new range and I love it!  Behind the range though is chipped paint because of the heat generated back there.  I am hoping to get some stainless steel panels to put behind the stove to protect the wall and to put recipes up there while I'm cooking.   I see a visit to IKEA in my future.

See the fall-themed display behind the dining room table?  I love that a lot, but want to figure out how to switch it up a bit for the seasons without too much fuss.  I don't have a lot of storage other than the attic, so it would have to be something simple.  Still working on that idea...

Ok, this chandelier in our dining room...I have wanted to change it since we moved in!  But, as many of you know, life gets in the way and there is always something else that demands your money and attention.  Changing this out is on my wish list! 

Our outdoor light fixtures have seen better days.  I'd love to get some brushed nickel ones!  Another thing to add my wish list!

What spring projects do you have on tap?  

Do you have a wish list started?

Black and White Brownies with Pecans

Good Morning!  

It's definitely spring in Ohio - 80 degrees and windows open one day and 60 degrees and rain the next.  

I love rainy days though - they give us a good excuse to bake!  

These brownies were inspired by a recipe I found in a cookbook at the library called Budget Meals Cookbooks.  I changed it a bit and re-wrote the instructions because I found the original ones a bit "out of step" if you will.  

I hope you like these decadent, delicious, not-so-fat-free chocolate brownies!

Black and White Brownies with Pecans

Ingredients for the Brownies

• 1 19-ounce package of your favorite fudge brownie mix
• 1 10 to 12-ounce package of white baking pieces - I used Ghirardelli white chocolate chips
• 1 6-ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces - I used what I had on hand, which was Bakers Semisweet Chocolate (6 ounces equate to approximately 1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease the bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking pan and set this aside.

Mix up the brownie mix according to the directions on the box.  

Stir in all of the white baking chips and 1/2 of the semisweet chocolate baking pieces or chips.  It will be a thick batter.  You will use the other 1/2 cup of the semisweet chocolate pieces on top of the frosted brownies.

Spread the batter into your prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1/2 hour or until you can see that the center is set.  Remove from the oven and cool on wire rack.

Ingredients for the Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter (not margarine), melted
• 3 Tablespoons hot water
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup pecan pieces

For the topping or frosting of the brownies, begin by mixing together the melted butter and hot water in a medium size bowl.  

Once that is mixed well, add the powdered sugar and mix again.  Next, add the unsweetened cocoa powder and then the vanilla.  Mix together until the frosting has a smooth consistency.

Spread the frosting over the brownies (completely cooled brownies).  

Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate pieces and pecan pieces.  

Because I used the Bakers Semisweet Chocolate Squares, I had to break them up using a knife before using them in this recipe.  You could easily use chocolate chips too.

Once the frosting is completely cooled, cut the brownies into bars.

They're oh-so-chocolatey and rich!  

Serve with ice cream if you like. 

I'm joining Amy over at New Nostalgia's Anti-Procrastination Tuesday

 and

All Things Inspired at All Things Heart and Home

Do You Need Some Sabbath?

  That empty bench under the shade tree is calling my name...

It's a question that has been on my mind and heart ever since our music pastor asked in choir practice, "Does anyone need some Sabbath?"  Of course, when he asked that question, my hand shot up right away.  I thought later that if I was being really transparent, both of my hands should have gone into the air.  Maybe I should have just stood up!

Of course, just this last Wednesday, he walked past me in the lobby when I was talking to a friend of mine and caught me yawning and said, "you need some Sabbath!".  Don't I know it...

So, I've been thinking on this a lot...and realistically, I know (and you know) that life isn't structured to have time to truly rest every day, so we have to create or schedule the time.  If your days are anything like mine, they're filled with responsibilities, to-do lists, and errands.  There is always something to do!  

I confess that on Sundays, I do take a nap after church and lunch.  My family has been so gracious to give me that quiet time so I can re-group for another busy week.  I've found that my body is programmed now to expect it and sometimes I am falling asleep at the table! 

I've been thinking though...how can I get some semblance of Sabbath during the week?  Is it even possible?  I think it is.  I'm referring to times other than your devotional and prayer time (although that works well too!).

I know life is busy and it carries me away nearly every day with everything I need to accomplish, so I'm trying to be realistic in my expectations.

What do you think about these ideas for taking some Sabbath, rest, time during your week? 

• Sitting on the patio and listening to the birds sing
• Reading a good book for 30 minutes
• 20-minute nap
• Sipping your favorite beverage without doing anything else at the same time
• A nice hot shower 
• Going to the library or bookstore just to browse 
• Coffee with a friend
• Sitting on the front porch and watching the people go by
• Playing a game with your children
• Listening to great classical music 
• Watching a 1/2 hour show 

These are things that appeal to me, but I'm sure there are many others you ladies could come up with...would you be willing to share? 

I'd love to hear how you incorporate some rest/quiet time into your week.

All my best to you today,

You Know It's Spring When...

It seems that spring has sprung here in Ohio!  Now, I know we're headed for some cold weather in the next week or so, but there have been clear evidences this past week that spring is here...it's just going to hide for a bit for the next few days.  

You know spring has arrived when...

The rhubarb is beginning to make it's way through the soil - I can taste the pie already...

 

The daffodils promise to come forth with color...soon...

Spring projects have begun!  This was once our sandbox complete with four railroad ties around the perimeter and filled with sand.  Our girls no longer really use the sandbox (sniff, sniff), so we decided to use the sand underneath the pool this year and turn this area into grass.  We moved the railroad ties across the yard to use them for holding firewood up off the ground.  Creative, 'eh? 

Birds are singing and are out and about

What else?

Hot rods and classic cars are cruisin' and rumblin' down the street looking all shiny!

Windows are open in the house and the spring air smells wonderful!

We saw three robins the other day.

My girls are outside as soon as they are done with their school work.

My husband has spring fever and wants to get things done in the yard and the house (YEAH!)

 
I can smell the dirt when it rains and envision flowers in the flower bed (call me crazy, but I love how the scents of spring waft through the air after it rains!)

We see more people walking their dogs and just walking the neighborhood.

We've talked to our neighbors for the first time in months!  We all seem to hibernate during the winter months.

Easter is coming!  I'm so thankful we celebrate the Lord's resurrection each year.  It's a good reminder to me of what He did on the cross for me, even though I do think of it throughout the year too.  It's a blessed time of family coming together.  The worship services and praise music on that weekend especially make my heart sing with joy!

I hope you are enjoying these precious few days of spring...rain or shine.  We will be enduring the unbearably hot weather again very soon and be stuck back in the house with the AC running full blast before we know it (at least I will, I don't handle high humidity gracefully I'm afraid).

All my best to you today,

Shopping Challenges

Last Sunday, our oldest daughter Julie came to me and asked me to help her pick something out to wear to church.  I quickly realized after perusing her closet, she truly had nothing "church-like" to wear!  Don't get me wrong, we wear jeans to church sometimes and it's totally fine (in my humble opinion) to do so, but we gals like to get dressed up now and then too.  I told Julie right then we were going shopping that afternoon for church-worthy clothes and of course, she was thrilled!

Little did we know what we would face when it came to the selection for girls her age/height/weight!  She is 11 years old, is in the 90th percentile for height, and is very slim.  She dresses modestly as well, so we were simply hoping to find a few things for her to mix/match that would be appropriate for spring and possibly transition into summer.  The list included:  camisoles (love those for layering), dress shoes, skirts, tops, and a belt.  Not an impossible list, right?

Our first stop was Once Upon a Child, a consignment shop that offers some very nice quality clothing at a fraction of the cost we would pay at most retail stores.  We found one beautiful chocolate brown skirt (still had the tags!) for about $5.50.  Next stop - the mall.  We hit Macy's first.  Oh my...there was absolutely nothing other than one really cute jacket, but it was nearly $35 and I wasn't sure how long she would actually be able to wear it, so we passed on it.  Elder Beerman had absolutely nothing to offer her age other than frilly or casual wear.

JcPenney and Sears were very slim pickings too!  We found one top for her at Sears for $6.00 (on clearance) and then at JcPenney we did find a very pretty top and dress slacks.  Justice was on our route too for camisoles.  These are a great little addition to any wardrobe because they can be layered in so many ways.  Julie surprisingly found a beautiful plaid/flowered shirt she liked there too.  Luckily, I had a 40% off coupon, so the total was very reasonable.  Payless Shoes was our last stop and we did find adorable slip on shoes for a whopping $7.00.  All in all, I think we spent just under $80 for everything, which was more than I wanted to spend, but considering what we got, it was relatively reasonable.  

But, ladies, here are my thoughts on clothes for girls size 14/16.  Most of what we saw for her size was either very "little girl" looking or it looked like something I would never let her wear (and she wouldn't want to wear).  Where did the cute blouses go?  What about cute little jackets that could be a great addition to spring and fall outfits?  It seemed like the styles went from very casual to very dressy, with nothing in between!  It was very frustrating and disappointing at times to walk into the section for her size and then look around and say, "is this it?"  

The other thing we both noted was that the color seems to be gone from clothes for her age too.  The pieces we found for her were black, white, and shades of brown.  Every girls needs their neutral pieces, yes, but where is all the color??  Just curious what your thoughts might be on that topic?

The one store we didn't make it to was Kohl's.  We need to visit there at some point soon, but we are overall very surprised and disappointed at the choices available for girls size 14/16 in the major department stores. 

Boy, if someone had the talent for designing, I'd say that's a niche that's wide open!  

Where do you shop for your girls?  Where have you had success?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic!

All my best to you today!

Saturday Spotlight at Frugal & Focused - Thank You!

I'm honored today to be featured at Janet's beautiful blog,  Frugal and Focused.  Janet has a beautifully sweet spirit and it shines through her blog every time she writes.  I've thoroughly enjoyed meeting her via blog land and enjoy reading her posts too!  Thank you kindly Janet for featuring Busy 'Lil  Homemaker today!

Stylish Blogger Award

Marie at Chocolate Covered Chaos graciously nominated my blog for the Stylish Blogger Award last week.  I am honored!  Thank you Marie!  

She is such a sweet and kind person - you must visit her blog!  She shares excellent recipes, homeschooling and field trip adventures, and just all around wonderful things about her life and family.

There are some rules with accepting this award.
1. Thank and link back to the person giving you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this award on to other bloggers you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic!
4. Contact these bloggers, and tell them about the award.

7 Things About Me

• I would love to live in the country...with a dirt road leading me to my driveway
• I think walking on the treadmill is boring - but necessary
• Love my family very much!  Love Jesus more!
• I'm an excellent wallflower 
• I often wonder if today is the day I might get it together...just once
• My favorite times of the year are spring and fall - no sweat months!
• I'm constantly juggling my time, my passions, and my commitments

 Trying to figure out which blogs I wanted to nominate was really tough!  But here are my picks:

A Place of Quiet Rest 

Confessions of a Dr. Mom 

Lizzy's Quilt Blog 

Marie's Home and Hobbies 

Ramblings of Wife and Mommy 

Frugal and Focused 

God Speaks Today 

Do take the time to visit these gals and their blogs!  They all have something special to offer and I am sure you will enjoy them!