More Kitchen Pictures

Soooooo many of you have emailed me wanting to know more about my kitchen re-do. Let me clarify a few things.
-I did not mix my glaze with my paint. I painted the table, distressed it, and then used a brush to apply the glaze. Last, I used a rag to wipe off the glaze. You can play with the glaze and apply it to your liking. It takes the glaze 45 minutes to dry completely.
- I did not sand the furniture completely. I think its just important for your furniture to not have a shiny gloss on it. They paint will stick much better if the surface is not glossy. I also advise to prime.
-I am sure you could use spray paint!! I say go for it!
-I purchased a quart of paint for each of the chairs (1 quart for both blue chairs). But, really, I could have bought the little sample bottles for $3 and had enough for one chair!!! Oh well, live and learn.
-The table took about 1/2 gallon of paint.
-I would not use the spray can protective gloss again. It did not cover like I wanted it too. I would use the wax next time.
-The project took 2 full days to complete.

As you can see, I have added new window treatments and painted the kitchen walls. The color of the walls is an "aimee creation." I wanted the color to flow from my living room, so I went back to the paint store where we purchased our living room color. There was not a lighter color of that same shade, so we cut the living room color by 75%. Its perfect. It blends very well. I need flow. I'm just weird like that. See..I told you painting my chairs different colors was a big step. lol

The window treatments were purchased from Lowes. I got a sweet, sweet deal on them. These custom wooden shades are regularly priced at $58.00 per shade. And lo and behold, I found the size I needed on a clearance cart for $14.82. I broke out in a happy dance right then and there.

I hope I have answered any questions.

I look forward to blogging on something totally different next time!

Kitchen Table Re-Do

It all started with some late night clicking on Pinterest and a nice little cherry wood table. You've been a good table to our family, but we are tired of looking at your dark, dreary color. You must have a make-over!

Look out kitchen wall...you are next!

Choosing the right colors was the hardest part. We were trying to compare the colors to the picture we saw online. Below, you will see my inspiration picture. I could not for the life of me find the name of the paint on her website. I think we ended up coming pretty close without having the names of the paint colors.



BUT, It was very difficult. Jami was with me and we sat down on the floor in Lowe's and made us a little pretend "table". We had all the cards laid out on the floor in the shape of a kitchen table! People must have thought we were a little nutso! We were pretending the cards were tables and chairs. Hey...whatever works...right? And it was kinda fun.

Please note: We used BAYSIDE and not Reflection Pool for our blue choice. The light yellow is called EVENING GLOW.
The table was painted in a vintage cream color. It came from walmart. $10bucks for a gallon. It was the same color I used on the shutters a few weeks back. Sorry, I forgot the color name!

Besides the paint...we picked up a nice size jug of glaze. Valspar Mocha Glaze to be exact. It was around $17.00.

First thing we did was SAND down everything!!

Here is Jami with her power tool. Hint Hint.. Mother's Day is right around the corner..I would really like one of these. It's a Dewalt Orbital Sander. I think they will run you about $70 bucks at Lowes. But, honestly, I would pay double for that handy little thing. We sanded the table and 6 chairs in no time. That thing ROCKS.

Hannah Grace got a hold of my phone and took this from inside the porch. She text this picture to her Daddy and said...Look at mommy with that machine. HAHA

So, after we sanding everything, we started painting. We did not prime the table, and we paid dearly for it. It took 4 coats. We primed the chairs and it made life so much easier. I think we did 2 coats. It was a beautiful day, so the furniture ended up drying rather quickly. We were able to start distressing. This is the FUN part!!

The next step was the glaze. This stuff really made all the difference.

Below: the chair on the left is glazed. See the difference? I'm not so sure you can really tell in the picture. But, in Real life, it looks amazing. So old and dirty. Looks like its been sitting in my Granny's attic for ages. lol
The glaze really gives it that vintage feel.


And the final picture is the finished product ....yippee!!

We have really been enjoying our table over the last few days. I really wish the picture would do it justice. Its hard to see how distressed and OLD looking the chairs look! After a week, I spray painted them with a clear coat of protective spray. It was very easy. It's funny how when you start a project, one thing leads to another. A few weeks ago, I did the shutters and it just lightened up the space so much! Now, after the table, our kitchen space is much brighter and happier!! I honestly smile every time I walk in the kitchen. Who knows, I may get sick and tired of the colors in a year or so...but for now....I am loving it!!!

Catching up!

Whoa. Long time. No post.

Life is so, so busy!

Here is what has been going on in the Weather's house.

We all waited on winter to arrive, but she didn't. So needless to say, we have been enjoying lots of time outside! The weather has been beautiful. Hope LOVES the outdoors so that is where we spend a lot of our day. We have already made a few trips to the local park. She loves to run around and I love the fact that it wears her out and she takes a really good nap!!

Our week days are pretty scheduled. We have a different plan for each day of the week, but its the same pretty much every week. With four kids, it works well to get "into a groove." Of course, there are many times when that schedule is interrupted. Our weekdays are filled with things such as, going to the gym with mommy, washing clothes, meeting with college girls, grocery shopping, cleaning house, running errands for Daddy, washing clothes, going to the library or park, preparing for Bible studies, have I said washing clothes?, going to Bible Studies, and TUTORING! Lots and lots of tutoring these days!!! Right now, I am working 6 afternoons a week! The need for additional help outside of the classroom is significant. I mostly focus on math (Algebra), but I have a few young ones that I teach how to read. I really enjoy it. I truly love teaching. I also have several students who come to me because they are not being challenged in the classroom. I love setting high goals for these students and see them succeed. It's amazing what children can learn. Amazing.

The kiddos are doing well. Hannah Grace has a piano audition on March 31st, so she has been practicing almost every afternoon. Noah has started baseball. And I must say...we have quite the little baseball player. I think this might be "his thing." Noah is not a big child (the term scrawny has been used often..lol) , but he has got an arm on him!! Wowza! Lily is doing super at school. We have had a few bumps in the road, but she is adjusting well. We are so very proud of her. She is reading like a big girl now! And Hope...well, she is Hope. She is unlike any of our other children. She is curious, brave, feisty, and head strong. And we love her fiercely. Thank you sweet Father...you have blessed us immensely!

Lily with make-up on Gotcha day!

Carlton took the month of February to work on his doctoral paper. He was out of the pulpit for 4 weeks! He spent 2 weeks up in Tennessee at a friends home in the middle of nowhere. He worked tirelessly. I kinda felt bad for him! But, there was no way I could help him. Trust me. All I could do was be his cheer leader!!!! Two bits, Four bits... Ok..I'll stop, I'm showing my age. After his 2 weeks, he learned that his 2nd chapter was approved! On the FIRST submission!!! This folks.... is amazing!!! The last 2 weeks of February were spent here in Anniston. He completed chapter 3 and wrote out all the info for the class he will teach. On Feb. 27th, he completed every goal that he had set for the month. I was so stinkin' proud!! He learned on March 2nd that Chapter 3 was approved...on FIRST submission!!! Once again....amazing!!! He will spend the next 15 weeks (well, 12 now), working on his "project". We are expecting him to complete and turn everything in by the end of June! There will be some kind of happy dance going on when that day arrives.

Me? Well....since Carlton was gone in February, I had to focus my time on something. What else? Pinterest. I would crawl up in the bed each night when he was gone and waste countless hours on that crazy web site. I decided on two projects. Here they are.....the first is some shutters I picked up at our local thrift store. $5 for both. Yep... $5. I roughed them up a little and added vaseline to the edges that I wanted to distress. (this makes the paint peel off easily), then, I painted them a taupe-gray?, next I painted them an antique white. I let it dry and then I went to town distressing them. I even got hammer and took out some frustration on them. LOl. Total cost- $30 (I have tons of paint left that will be used for my kitchen table...next project) Here's some pictures of the process.

BEFORE

AFTER


We got rid of the TV and the stand (its on our back porch now). The kitchen looks twice as big!!

Next, a very nice friend who happens to be in the construction business grabbed some windows for me out of an old home that he was demolishing. I didn't do much to it because it was already "old." I did add some dents and sand a little. I purchased the "W" at Hobby Lobby and hot glued moss to it. I tied it up with some burlap I had left over from Christmas. Total cost of project. $3.25




Last before I end this post.... I want to link the article that was in our Saturday paper this past weekend. I want the link this on my blog...1.) so you can read it and 2.) so it will archive here. We are very thankful to Brett Buckner for doing a great job of accurately quoting us. We are always a little skirmish when someone asks to to a newspaper article. But, Brett wrote the original article the on Sophie and did an amazing job. As a matter of fact...it won some award in the newspaper world! I am so humbled at how our little girl continues to share the Gospel of Christ with so many around the world. It's been 4 years and her story continues to share the love of God.

Link: http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/17822634--Joyful-sorrow-Funerals-are-no-longer-somber-affairs

Copy and pasted from article.....

No matter the tone of the memorial, its primary purpose is to worship God, said Carlton Weathers, pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Anniston.

“The funeral service has traditionally been used to glorify Jesus Christ and thank him for the life of the loved one who has passed away,” he said. “A second purpose of the Christian service is to proclaim the truth that in the future, God will raise the dead to a new life in the eternal kingdom.”

Few comprehend this dueling message more vividly than Weathers, who in 2008, preached the sermon at the funeral of his own child.

‘Joy is not the same as happy’

Sophie Ann Weathers was born on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008, at 8:46 p.m., weighing 3 pounds, 15 ounces. She was 21 inches long.

She would live for only nine minutes.

Sophie Ann was diagnosed in utero with a rare chromosomal anomaly called Trisomy 13. One in 10,000 babies are born with this condition; 80 percent die within the first month.

Her mother, Aimee Weathers, carried Sophie Ann to term knowing her baby would die. When she did, it was while lying on her mother’s chest in the hospital delivery room.

Nine minutes.

Long enough for her father to recite the 23rd Psalm: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me.”

While Carlton delivered the sermon for his daughter’s funeral, Aimee chose the music for the memorial, including the hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.” The memories from that day are “seared” into their minds. But for all the sadness, there was hope.

“Aimee and I worked hard to have a service that clearly presented the Gospel, reflected our hope in Christ for the future resurrection of our daughter and expressed our feeling of joyful sorrow,” Weathers said.

“Joy is not the same as happy. I do not think it is helpful for us to try to hide the fact that when a loved one dies we are grieved. The fact is that death is unnatural, and all of us, no matter our faith, feel the pain of loss when someone dies.

“But the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian is the hope we have in Jesus Christ. We want to show the world that we grieve, but that our grief is filled with hope in Christ.

Read more: Anniston Star - Joyful sorrow Funerals are no longer somber affairs

Laundry-Mat 101

So, we loaded up the suburban early thist morning and started our laundry experiment at 8:10am. I had 4 garbage bags and 2 baskets which totaled about 7 loads of laundry. Some factors to consider:

-This week's laundry was significantly lower after I had a mini-meltdown with my children last week which ended in me asking them to wear their jeans at least twice and to use a bath towel a minimum of 3 times. Is that bad? I am thinking not. Did you know that people in every other country besides the USA rarely EVER wear their clothes only one time? This one single change lessened my laundry load by 2!! Thank you Lisa S. for monogramming some towels with each child's name on it...so that they know which towel to re-use! You have given me a gift of sanity.

-The money factor- After a little research and consulting with my friend, Mr. Aaron the electrician, I learned that it cost on average $1.00 to run your washing machine. For me, my dryer has to run at least 80-85 minutes to dry 1 load (nothing wrong with my dryer..I just have a long tube from dryer to outside which causes it not to heat up as much). My dryer is going to cost me about $1.50 to run.

So...with 7 loads, washed and dried, that is going to equal= $17.50.

Let's be real here and assume that I over stuff my washer (who does that? LOL) and shorten my loads to 5....my total is going to be $12.50...including drying.

Let's compare that with what my costs were today:
Washing- My costs were $12.50.
Drying-$2.75
Total- $15.25

We also need to calculate gas costs...The laundry mat is about 3.5 miles from my home. I am going to estimate that at about $1.00 round-trip.

The time factor-
So...at home...it will take me about 7-9 hours to get everything washed and dried.
Today..it took 2hrs. 10minutes.
Obviously, the time thing is a huge consideration.




So...is this something that I want to continue to do????....

Well, here are some positives for me
-of course the time thing. It was great to have it all done in about 2 hours.

-I was able to spend some time catching up with my sister in law. I could also potentially use this time to meet with some of the girls I am descipling. The laundry-mat had several tables and chairs that they called "study" areas.

- The place was pretty much kid friendly. Ada and Hope were great. There is not really anything in there that they can get into. The only thing they did was hide behind the coke machine. Ok..Ok...Hope did climb on top of the table and pull out all of Annalee's dryer sheets. And I think she may have chewed on them a bit. And Ada did eat a biscuit off the floor and yes it was a little dirty. But, overall, they had a great time playing together. We brought the Ipad and they watched some TV also.






-I could have left my clothes to dry and run some errands. The place is mostly used my college students and they are no where to be found at 8am. haha

-I felt very safe. Its in a small strip mall, directly next to a Quiznos.

Some of the negatives:

- When I am at home doing laundry, I can get other chores done at the same time.

-The costs? Maybe? Maybe not.

-Carlton loaded my laundry....but unloading it was not fun. However, it took me all of 5 minutes to unload it. I am purely being a princess here complaining about having to carry baskets of laundry by myself. Lol

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed my time at the laundry-mat. These places have come a Loooooooooong way since 1996, the last time I was there. I really do love not doing a bit of laundry ALL week and then getting it ALL done in 2 hours. I also loved spending time with a dear friend. That is always refreshing. I left feeling energized and encouraged. I definitely think it's a lot more fun with a friend. I suppose I could have brought a book had she not been there today. The cost seems like a lot to me. But, I know that's what I am spending if I am at home. I guess when I see the power bill, it might encourage me even more in my decision to wash at home or not. But, honestly, spending 15 bucks on laundry is just plain depressing! I honestly think its more of that I actually "see" the money being spent. With the power bill, it just magically gets sucked out of our checking account each month. It's not as 'real'.

So...yes, I plan to head back next week. Until then, my baskets will be filling up.

Happy Washing to you!

Time for Study!

After attending Campus Outreach's New Years Conference several weeks ago, I spoke with one of the young ladies about doing a college ladies Bible Study. I saw such a desire in these young women to know the Lord on a deeper and more intimate level. Many of these girls were begging for "meat"... to learn the doctrines of their faith. After some time in prayer, we decided that early on Sunday morning would be the best time for everyone. We got the word out and before long, we had nearly 40 girls committed to this study time. I was elated! And yes...a little nervous! I chose a book that I had picked up at the conference. I knew it was going to be perfect for these girls.

The book I chose is written by Barbara Hughes and is entitled, "Disciplines of a Godly Woman."

This past Sunday, we met for the first time. Because our church, Grace Fellowship, has run out of education space (Praise the Lord on that!), we decided to meet at the home of one of the young ladies here in Jacksonville. We meet early and have plenty of time for study, then we all caravan to church at 10:15. It worked out well. I actually love having a study in someone's home...its just more intimate! During our first meeting, we played a "get to know you" game, I shared my testimony, and we talked a little about the semester and what we wanted to accomplish. We also spent some time talking about our new friend, "Martha". (Martha happens to be a life-size cut-out...you know like those giant Justin Bieber things) Martha is going to be teaching the girls about etiquette and how to be a lady. We will spend the last 5 minutes of our study time on this. How fun is that!

I want to use my blog each week to journal some of the things that I am learning. So many times, I go through a study...and as amazing as it might be, I forget so many of the things that God teaches me during that time.

I encouraged the girls to write down a general thesis of each chapter (1-3 sentences). Kinda like a main idea of the chapter or something that really stuck out to them that they did not want to forget. They used this concept at the conference this year and I really liked it...they called it, "One thought."

Here is my one thought for this week's chapter. Forgive me if I go beyond 3 sentences...I am a rebel like that.

Spiritual discipline is a far cry from legalism. Spiritual disciplines are practices that we willingly pursue in response to a God who created us, saved us, and guides us. They should draw of closer to God, deepen our understanding of who He is, and shape us into the women that He wants us to be. Legalism is self-centered and seeks to gain merit or favor with God. The difference between Spiritual Discipline and Legalism is rooted in the heart. We desire to "DO" because of an overwhelming love for our Creator, not out of duty.

Becoming disciplined takes work. It requires us to lay down things that hinders us from Him. (ouch..stepping on toes here) "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 Paul says, "for this we labor and strive." Spiritual disciplines call for a serious commitment and "no-pain, no gain" effort.

Some disciplines we will be studying include: Gospel, Submission, Prayer, Worship, Mind, Contentment, Propriety, Perseverance, Church, Singleness, Marriage, Nurturing, Good Deeds, Witness, and Giving.

Boy, this is going to be a busy semester!!!

Back to School....January style!!!

It was a BIG, BIG day in the Weathers' house this past week! Lily had her 1st day of Kindergarten!

Just a couple day for school let out for Christmas, Carlton and I set up a meeting with the school counselor and principal. We had been praying about putting Lily in school for months now, and we had just recently seen some things in her behavior that were confirmation that it was time to do this! I cannot tell you how thankful we are for the staff at Kitty Stone Elem. They have been incredible. First with Noah starting school, then Hannah Grace transitioning in from homeschooling and now with Lily and her special circumstances. Both of these ladies were very open and patient with us as we explained our daughter's need and what we wanted from a school setting. It was very important for us for Lily to have a teacher that would communicate with us on a daily basis. Lily was placed in the perfect classroom! Her teacher has gone above and beyond what we have asked. We even had the privilege of having her teacher and her family over for supper the weekend before school began. Lily took Ms. Harper upstairs and showed her all of her China pictures. Ms. Harper is now well-educated in adoption and ALL that it entails. Good and Bad (not bad, just hard). We love the Harper family and to top it off...they love the Lord passionately! What a sweet blessing!

Lily will be going to school 3 days a week(Mon-Wed) for the first month of school. And it's a good thing we are doing 3 days a week, because last week she fell asleep at 11:00am on Thursday. She was worn out!!! Lily is still napping for 2.5 hours each afternoon, so no nap is hard to get used to!

Her first week went great!! I stayed with her on Monday from 8am to 11am. There were a lot of skills that I saw that she needed to work on. (Some things you just forget about when teaching at home) It really helped for me to be there...to see the schedule and how the classroom ran each morning. She jumped right in during group time and loved center time. She is doing so good. And yes, she will do Kindergarten again next school year. I know how important these first years are...and I have no issues with her spending another full year in K. I want her to be a very strong first grader and that she will be! She is already reading pretty stinkin' good!! I couldn't be more proud. Sometimes, I look at her, and I am just amazed at what the Lord is doing in her and what He is going to do through her. He has such a sweet plan for her life. Her 3 year Gotcha Day (adoption day) is coming up next month. It's been a long, long road. She has come so far. There have been some smooth patches, but mostly a lot of rough patches. From learning a completely new language, to learning how to be loved and be part of a family unit, to attaching to Mom and Dad, to growth issues, and learning that she is safe in our family and will not be abandoned again. These were ALL very hard things for her to grasp. But, she has made tremendous progress. Lily has taught me so much about myself. My daughter has pushed me to love the Lord more. And in turn, I love her deeply...in a way I never thought possible. Adoption is a challenging road, but one that is rich in blessings.

Here are a few pictures from the week....enjoy.

Merry Christmas!!!!

I think this might have been one of my most favorite years with my children at Christmas! The month of December was full of all kinds of mischief from our elf, Clarence and this was the first year we did Ann Voskamp's Jessie Tree Advent. We were also very busy with piano recitals and school Christmas events. This really made the time pass quickly and before we knew it...it was Christmas Eve. Here are some pics leading up to the 24th.

Some memories from Clarence the Elf:
-He was found hanging from the ceiling fan on a toilet paper swing.
-He colored mustaches and funny things on our family pictures. (see pic below)
-He drove the Suburban up to the front door. He was sitting on the steering wheel.
-He colored the kids noses red while they were sleeping.
-He brought them chocolate things for breakfast.
-He was found sitting in the highchair. He had a diaper and a bib on! And he was eating cookies like a baby!!!!

I wanted to interview the kids about Christmas and here is what they have to say:

Noah-
What is your favorite Christmas memory?
"When I got my scooter and I drove it up the living room wall on accident." "That was hilarious."
What did you learn from the advent readings?
"Christmas is about Jesus. He was born a baby and then died on the cross for our sins."

Lily-
What is your favorite Christmas memory?
"Being with my family." "Opening presents with my family." "Running down the stairs and seeing all the gifts Mommy and Daddy left for me." "I was too excited. " "That's all."
What did you learn from the advent readings?
"He was born. It was his birthday. He was born so he could grown up. He can grow up and save them people from bad."

Hannah Grace:
What is your favorite Christmas memory?
"It was getting an Ipad on Christmas morning. I was really really surprised. I thought it was going to be a Nano."
What did you learn from the advent readings?
"God will provide for His children. He provided Esther with courage and Ruth with bravery to stand up for what she believed. I learned about how, like, the story of the Bible leads up to Christmas. The Old Testament is always pointing towards Him, Jesus. "

Hope loved her Big Barney, and Elmo books. She was not really too hot about her baby doll. She pulled its hair out and threw her on the floor. Sigh....
Hope is now 17 months and spunky as ever! She is constantly singing around our house. She loves to sing her ABC's and the Barney and Elmo theme songs. She says lots of words and can repeat just about anything. She never stops moving and is always in to something. We adore her feisty personality. We love her spunk.

We are forever grateful to have the opportunity to raise 4 incredible children. Thank you Lord!

And now for pictures!

Christmas Eve...all in new PJ's. Hope is ready to watch a Christmas movie. LOL

Christmas morning!
Noah opens up new tennis shoes!

Hannah Grace gets a new Cross necklace.

Lily gets a new bike!!

Lily opens up pizza for her kitchen!

Noah gets a motorized scooter. He couldn't wait..he had to drive it right away!

HG gets her own flat iron.

Noah gets The Action Bible. This came highly recommended! It's a hit! He has been reading it ALL THE TIME!

Ada was here for our Christmas morning. We enjoyed having Anna and Jordan and Ada over to open presents and then have a wonderful breakfast together. This year we ate: Crockpot Apple Cobbler, Breakfast Casserole, Monkey Bread, Sausage Balls and Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. And shhhhh...don't tell anyone, but Carlton and I might be the only humans who did an Insanity workout on Christmas day. Yep, we squeezed it in before we left for Mississippi. Crazy, I tell you.

Look at Noah's face!! HAHA!!!
Hope gave Ada the Jesus Storybook Bible. Look at those sweet cheeks!



We want to thank the "SANTA" who sacrificially gave our family this brand-new IPAD 2. We are so incredibly thankful.
This was her reaction when she figured out what it was! She said, "NO WAY!"

OFF TO DEDA'S (my mother) HOUSE!!!!
Each year we travel to Columbus, MS to visit my mom and family. We usually get there around 5pm. Here are pictures from our Christmas in MS.

We made this picture for Deda. If you double click you can see that the kids held up letters that spelled out DEDA. She loved it.

Lily got a Baby Alive. And oh boy, does she love this thing!!!!!

Noah got a Pogo stick and an electric helicopter.

Hope got an Elmo that sings lullabies.

Okay...hope you enjoyed...Now I am off to have a cup of coffee courtesy of my new Keurig! Thanks MOM!