Rocking Chairs

 

For years, I have wanted a porch on our home. This year, it came to fruition! Chris, our boys, our Brother-in-Love, and sometimes his boys all helped to make it a reality (as you may have read in previous posts)! I have always said how (Lord willing) I would love to one day be able to sit in rockers on my porch ~ watching my children (or grandchildren one day) with my husband! 

Chris knew this dream of mine...and for my birthday ordered handmade Amish rockers for me! Aren't they just perfect!? I am a firm believer that every porch needs at least one rocking chair! For the icing on the cake ~ my parents ordered me (for my birthday) a side table to match! It hasn't arrived yet but when it does, it will go right between the chairs! I am so thrilled! I love things that make my home more *homey*. 

The days are cooler now...Fall is setting in! It is wonderful to sit out in one of the rocking chairs to spend time in God's Word...

I have, admittedly, begun getting out my fall scented candles to burn and a few outdoor decor items! I don't have a lot of things to decorate the porch with right now....it will probably take time to accumulate things (years even) ~ so this year the decorations may be minimal. I have a couple mums out right now (bought at ALDI ~ I love the prices there!). I also have my pumpkins growing in the garden that will make things fall-ish looking on my porch! :o)

I love the outdoor/rustic look of these rocking chairs. They are also super comfortable! My husband blessed me immensely by getting these for my birthday! My porch feels complete now! :) Of course, it still needs stained (probably next year) and the ceiling needs finished but for now, it's perfect and I am truly enjoying it! It's funny how something that may seem insignificant to some is so sweet to me! A simple country porch with rocking chairs ~ a dream come true for this country girl!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and well wishes for my ankle healing. My ankle is still sore but hopefully doing ok. I am going to try and teach a cycling (spin) class tonight...we'll see how it goes!

When someone leaves a question in the comments, I never know the best way to answer it...in the comments? By email (if I have it?)? I don't want people to think I am ignoring them! What do you think is the best way?

Thanks for stopping by to share in my excitement with me! :)
Hope you all have a great week!
Warmly,
Katy

Celebrating 36 Years!

Xavier surprised me by changing the light board from his name to mine. :)

Hello friends! I wasn't going to do a birthday post...as it isn't necessary to draw attention to myself...and truly, it is just another day. However, I realized that celebrating birthdays isn't really about *us* anyway. It brings glory to the Father. I praise Him for another year on this earth. I didn't bring myself to life 36 years ago. I was thought of and planned before the beginning of time. I am His and He brought me into this world (using my parents!). I am not exceptional in an of myself. I am flawed, imperfect and unimportant. However, He has redeemed me from my old self. He has made me good. He has saved me from the sin which enslaves. He determines the numbers of days....or years...I am on this earth. So ~ today (and every day) is a day for me to praise the Lord for the time He has given me here. I praise Him for the good, the bad and everything in between!

We have nothing major planned for today. Schooling, housework and the normal day-to-dayness that happens around here. I *am* doing a little more sitting today than normal. Yesterday, while out for a run with Mickey (our cocker spaniel) I sprained my ankle. It is swollen, stiff and painful. I am hoping it is only a grade 1 sprain (quicker healing time). It makes walking difficult and obviously, no exercise is allowed for now. I also got stung by a bee yesterday...on the calf of the opposite leg! Goodness! I thought about going to bed early yesterday as it just didn't seem to be a day I was suppose to be up and about!

The weather has gotten a touch cooler the past couple of days...with temperatures in the 70's. It is wonderfully comfortable (and a lot of time has been enjoyed out on our new back porch!). I absolutely love fall but I'm not sure I am totally ready for it to arrive yet. I guess I don't really have a choice in the matter, eh? ;)

I'm just adding a few photos from around the house to this post. Mostly pictures from the living room. I've added a few things decor-wise and have done some tweaking here and there. It's not finished completely but it's coming together! It's a much darker room...being at the back of the house and now with the porch blocking some of the light that did come in.

My etsy shop has been doing well. It has been picking up in sales lately which is a blessing! :) I don't make a huge income from it as some do but it's a little extra which is always nice to have!

I should go ice my ankle again (Mickey will jump up with me and lay on me while I do. He is such a great snuggler!). It's funny ~ this morning Chris said to me that he has almost been married to me for half my life. In a year or two ~ that will be true! :o) I definitely got the better end of that deal! He doesn't think so....but I *know* so!

As always, I appreciate you dropping by! I have some great things I have been reading recently and have wanted to share...but alas, my book is upstairs and with a bum ankle..the steps aren't fun right now. Hopefully I will be able to share some sweet nuggets of goodness I have been reading soon!

Have a wonderful rest of your week!
With warm wishes,
Katy

Our New Back Porch!

Chris and our Brother-in-Law worked and worked and basically finished our back porch. There are still a few things left to finish (like the underside of the porch ceiling and the steps)....but overall...it is done. :) I love it and can't wait to get it furnished and decorated (lightly).

Right now, there's just some odds and ends on there ~ but I hope to get a couple rocking chairs at some point...and get the rest of the porch cleaned off.

Those piles are wood are leftovers from the pieces of wood they cut. They were there when I took these pictures but Chris and the children got them all cleaned up last night. :)

I am looking forward to sharing photos with you once the porch has its final touches. Also, as you can see in the picture above...my pumpkin vines are crazy. I have four big pumpkins growing!!! :) It's the first time I have grown pumpkins! I definitely know they need *much* more room to grow next time! :)

I hope you are having a great week! Thanks so much for visiting me here today!
Until next time, Lord willing...

Warmly,
Katy

My Heart is Full

My Xavier turns 14 today....yes, fourteen! I can hardly even bear to type that out! How has he grown so much, so quickly? The picture above was taken this morning and just doesn't do him justice. He's such handsome fella. The photo is a bit blurry (but when I used the flash it was just *too* bright).

He'll be getting a haircut later from his dad. Right now he is riding his four-wheeler (an older one that he saved up to buy). He has worked at my dad's garage most of the summer. He has learned a lot and will continue to learn over the years. I believe that is the profession he wants to go into...so it is perfect for him to be learning a lot early! :)

We are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with Xavier. He adds so much to our family and we love him so much. I am sure he will enjoy today to the full...as we are starting our homeschool year on Monday and I think out of all my children, X is the least excited! Ha! :) 

Below are some photos of our days as of late...

Above, Madelyn is feeding Porky...Pa's calf. And below is a picture of her in a shirt my aunt got her for her 16th birthday. I thought she looked absolutely adorable and took a picture!

Mickey...going for a ride with me...

As I mentioned before....we are starting our homeschool year on Monday ~ so organizing and planning have been happening around here!

 Although I am not wishing summer away...it has been cooler lately so I couldn't help but burn some fall candles. Fall scents are my absolute favorite!

Canning peaches....

Cash (who has been tolerating Mickey now ~ yahoo! I wouldn't say they are *friends*...but there is no real fear of them attacking each other either! Whew!)...

My new back porch is about finished! I will share pictures soon! The only bad thing is that it makes the living room a lot darker. I figure it's just another reason to burn some candles! ;o)

We have definitely been keeping busy around here....I think I canned over 50+ quarts of green beans and have done some peaches as well. My corn *has* now started to grow....quite late though so I don't think I will get any edible corn from the plants. My pumpkins are growing beautifully though...so that is exciting! :)

In addition to gardening/harvesting, I have been teaching spin, organizing/cleaning the house, cooking a lot (especially when family comes over to help work on the back porch), school planning, mowing and the like! Whoever called them "lazy days of summer" must have had servants to do all their work! haha! There is definitely no laziness around these parts! :o)

Thank you so much for visiting today!
I hope your weekend is absolutely lovely!
Warmly,
Katy

"August is like...

 ...the Sunday of Summer."

~Unknown

August has flown in and taken me quite by surprise. The summer has gone by in the blink of an eye and we will be starting our schooling again quite soon! I plan on actually doing some homeschool planning today (if there is time).

I have been harvesting green beans from our raised beds and big garden. We have lots and lots of them! Such a blessing! I canned last week, all day yesterday and have some to do today as well. My mom got me some peaches as well so I am sure I will be doing those soon too!

These pictures just show my first couple batches from the canner. There are more to follow! ;)

I made a new sticker kit and it is now up for sale in my shop! Aren't the fall colors so beautiful!? I am so looking forward to the Autumn air and beauty but I must admit ~ I am not truly ready to say good-bye to summer!

Mickey loves to be outside. We must take him around on a leash though...or he will run off...little stinker! He loves to be with us but also loves to explore! As I type he is laying at my feet after a busy morning...

The sunshine has been absolutely perfect for drying our clothes! It is *such* a great money saver and truly...the smell of line-dried clothes can't be beat!

My raised beds have been taken over by my pumpkins! Next year, I am totally planting the pumpkins in the big garden! This is just ridiculous! I know it looks like a weedy mess but it's not weeds! Just a pumpkin vine take-over!

They have even crossed over to try and get at my second raised bed. It's like it has a mind of its own!

It has been a bit too hot for me to go for any runs outside lately. I have still been teaching spin twice a week though and mowing a lot. That helps me get lots of exercise! :)

Inside...

It really isn't fair of me to post photos of Mickey and not have any of Cash! We still love our Cashers! We just *so* wish they could tolerate one another. We have been working with them...hopefully over time things will be better. This keeping them separate and us splitting time between the two to make sure they both feel loved is crazy!

To do lists....(right now, though, all the tasks are done on Tuesday's list and I am working on Wednesday's list.)...

More canning yesterday...

I harvested some peas from our garden. It was a perfect amount for Chris...as I think he's the only one in our family who likes them. I cooked them up for supper along with meatloaf, cous cous, and green beans from the garden...

Mickey is just so super cute. The pictures don't do him justice. I had to use the flash because he moves so much (ever pic without the flash was blurry because of all his movement!). I am not a huge fan of pictures with the flash though...they just make it all too shiny/bright. Oh well....at least you can actually see his face here! :)

I did three batches of beans in the canner yesterday and think I will get one more batch today! :) They will be so enjoyed this winter!

That morning sun is bright! :)  These jars just need washed, labeled, and the rings taken off and then they will go down on the shelves in the basement!

Madelyn made some cinnamon rolls from scratch. It was a recipe that had her put them in cupcake tins so they were all small and cute!

She made some icing as well. I didn't have one but everyone else said they were really good!

Summer is busy, busy, busy! I have more to do today and if I do get some down time I plan on spending it reading. :)

I hope your week is enjoyable so far...find joy in the little things! Smile more and pray often! Busyness isn't always bad. There are seasons of busy that just need to be done. Gardens need tending and homes need to run smoothly (as well as be tidy and organized!). What we must do is focus on doing things to the glory of the Lord ~ and finding the joy in the work He has given us. It makes the *doing* so much more enjoyable when you know that it serves a greater purpose ~ glorifying God! :) 

Happy August friends!
Warmly,
Katy