Sunrise, Sunset

Dear [not-so-little] Brothers,

I'm so proud of both of you.  One for your smiles, the other for your strength.  

I can't believe you are becoming such amazing young men!  I used to say that I never wanted a sister because I loved being the only girl, but I know that it's only because I wouldn't have wanted to share you two.

It's so amazing how quickly life keeps passing us by.

I can't wait to watch what happens next.

Love you,

Sarah Ann

Easy Peasy

My mother taught me to be practical.  However, I am not nearly as crafty as her.  I mean, she can even smock.  I don't know how to sew a straight line.

Well, with my mother's practical spirit paired with my mostly un-craftiness, I set out to decorate our fairly new townhouse for as cheap as possible.  Mostly, that just meant that we were sparse and that some of the cuter touches are just going to have to wait.

I did make two little wall things that are so so easy (after our trip to Ikea, of course, because all cool decorating ideas come from Ikea).

Presenting....

Easy Peasy Wall Art!

I am so proud.  I know you all are so much more crafty, but I'm just so excited to have made something!

All it took were some on-sale fabric & two canvasses with a lip on the back, like this:

I didn't even have to be that much of a perfectionist about the back because nobody sees it:

I'd take more lovely (and EASY, please) ideas if you have them!

Anywhere But Here

Today, instead of work and paper writing, I'd like to be here:

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With this guy:

Since I'm stuck in my real life today, I'll make the best of it by donning one of these:

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And, maybe, I'll rope that cute guy into going here this afternoon while I write my much-procrastinated paper:

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However, if I make that wonderful hubby of mine go somewhere, he will probably make me listen to Christmas music, which I don't count as ok until post-Thanksgiving.  He's so cute though, that I'll probably let him get away with it.

Linking up today to Carissa's Miscellany Monday!  Three cheers for randomness and dreaming!

More Brown & Little Things

2 resolutions I have decided to make in my life-simplifying:

1.  Eat more brown.
You know, brown rice, brown pasta, brown bread.  Even as I'm typing this, I think, yuck!  I have a hugely terrible aversion to wheat anything.  Blame my mom for not making me eat it as a kid.  Either way, I am trying so hard to implement this into my cooking.  I've found that wheat pasta goes better with red sauce and brown rice does better when paired with something (like black beans).
I don't know if I will ever truly get over really grainy bread, though.  I hate it.  I try to convince my gag reflex that it is so much better than sourdough, but there's not much to be done there.

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2.  Let the little things be, well, little things.
I have a tendency to over-complicate little tasks, and they quickly become stresses.  For example, cooking can just be throwing something edible together rather than making everything from scratch every single night.  And when I clean, it's ok to not get the baseboards every time.  The toilets and the sinks are good goals.  I need to learn how to take a chill pill (just one of many sayings from my loving father... added to this is "I don't give a rat's mustache!"  Thank you, dad.).
Oh, and evidently, some smart person is really selling chill pills.

Please, nobody get this for me for Christmas.  Or ever.  I promise, this would not make me chill.

Patience

...is a virtue.

Thank you, friends, for waiting with me, as I have not only been getting my blog, but my life in order.

I have been so overwhelmed lately.  I have been in a whirlwind of pleasing others, making things happen, and general freak-out mode.

Thank goodness that God's grace can remind me of His ability to give me rest, which, you can tell by my recent history, I have been trying to take.

In light of that idea, I have taken efforts to simplify my life.  You will notice that bon blog designs is at a halt, much to my relief.  I'm finishing up a couple of designs and then I'm going to take a breather.

I have simplified this blog.  I couldn't leave it, or you all, of course.  However, I wanted to redirect it as I have been redirecting my life.  I often try to write what will please, but I want to write what I feel led.  I want to remember where I have come from (no reference to Jenny and the block).  Seriously, though, I know how far I've come and Who brought me here.  Don't anticipate super-spiritual posts, but do anticipate what I hope will be a freshness.  At least it has been fresh for me.

Thank you, again, for waiting.  I feel so blessed to have you here, and you will never even know to what extent you've all impacted my life.

And on to a new chapter... thanks for joining!

PS - don't you just love this new redesign?! I'm in love!