One Word Wednesday- SCRAPPED!

Alright, today will be a few more words than one per picture. I mean I'm Irish! I have to wish you a Happy St. Patricks day! ...Happy Saint Patricks Day!
Oh...and  wanted to post a few of the shots I took for my oldest daughter's senior pictures. This is our "outfit #1" session. I was really surprised that she wanted me to do them for her instead of hiring a professional. Because I'm certainly not a professional! I still have a hard time remembering what lens to use for what and can barely navigate my way through Photoshop! I wasn't about to argue with her, though. Senior pictures are pricey!
I took these at the historical farm we had found last summer. I blogged about it back in August. (Click here to check it out.)
Anyway, as new as I am to photography, she made it easier (being so cute and all! She says I just say tht because I'm her mom...maybe...No I don't think so!)

Hope it's as sunny and beautiful in your neck of the woods as it is here! I so love spring! If it's not sunny, I still hope you're blessed and well. ~Jen

Kye is soakin' up all he can!

I was just thinking...

It just looked dreary as I peered over my cup of coffee into the backyard this morning. To be honest, I thought "This looks like a good day to stay indoors. Blech!!!" But when I stepped out  to pick my son up from orchestra class about an hour later, I realized how wonderful it felt outside!
...Not warm yet, but warmer. Not dry yet, but refreshingly misty with a scent that makes me think "clean". (Kind of like those old Irish spring soap commericals with the green rolling hills...just minus the hills, sun, rainbows and people showering in the trees...okay, so it's nothing like the commercials, but it's clean smelling!)

Everything still looks rather grey and winterish, but there's a bit more life peeking out here and there this week. My son even helped a big, fat earth worm cross the sidewalk to a tree last night at the library.  The sun we had last week was glorious, but this week the rain has washed away the dirty snow that remained and cleaned up the grimey roads and cars. It also lulled me to sleep last night. I love that. I'm just thankful that spring is on the way. Can you tell?! ...Thinking I need to make some garden mint soap soon!
I've not posted much lately so I'll catch you up with at least one of my projects.
First of all, I was very excited to get ahold of farmgirlcyn's stencils. I stenciled one pillow and was hooked! I know I shared the photo of my pillows just yesterday, but here they are again. what an easy way to upcycle old stuff! I would much rather re-purpose things than throw the old away and buy new, so I'm having a stencil heyday with this! I'll share some more stenciled items later.

I got this fabric from the local thrift-store for about $3. The matte fabric paint was $3.29 at Hobby Lobby, and the pillows were old one's I already had that needed some updating. I made the tree patch by painting my tree stamp with the fabric paint and then applying it to the fabric. So easy. So cheap to do!

Hoping you have a cherry day! ~Jen

One Word Wednesday...(for the most part.)

Upcycled !

Aaaahhhh!!!

Slurp! 

Ghostbuster! (My nephew)

One Word Wednesday

Sisters

Morning

Blue!!!

Warm

Sunshine!

Stormy

If Walls Could Speak~ A Poem

So, after my post on A Road Trip Full Of Talking Houses, my 13 year old (daughter #2) was inspired to write a poem. She loves old houses and also loves to write, so we decided that should be her language arts assignment for the day. 

I loved her work and wanted to share it with you!

(Can you tell I'm a bit proud?)

So here it is:

IF WALLS COULD SPEAK…

I sit here in the open, yet tangled with vines… encumbered with shrubs. It's dark inside me…filthy-I'm crawling with rodents and insects in places I did not know I had.

I used to be admired, adored, lived in. In a moment a tantrum arose within me- my loved ones ran out, scared of my flames. They cried and the fire went away with their tears.

Dusty and Broken, charred and dark, moldy and rusted, I'm falling apart.

I still see my surroundings, paired with the memories of yesterday… the muddy sand box and the boy who played in it. The tree swing and the girl who fell off of it. Children playing games in the barn, or jumping off the hay stacks. When part of my door broke off and dad re-attached and painted me yellow again. He hummed to me.

Dusty and broken, charred and dark, moldy and rusted I'm falling apart.

I still get visitors, coming from my dirt road, I see them come and I try to stand proud. They take pictures of me, and make me stay still. They go around me and gaze at my ugliness- somehow they still find beauty in my brokenness.

When it turns dark I stay here listening to the sounds of rustling leaves, creaking wood, creatures large and small… Dusty and broken, charred and dark, moldy and rusted, I'm falling apart.

(This is the picture she sketched to go along with her poem.)

Hoping life is cherry and that you have a blessed night! ~Jen

One Word Wednesday- an intro

In a nutshell: One word to each photo...on Wednesdays.

I know. Not exactly mind-blowing or all that original. But I like the idea so today I begin!

Yesterday

Today

Dad

Mischevious

Right...

Mom

Love

Friends

Now

Hoping you have a cherry day ~Jen

A Road Trip Full of Talking Houses

I LOVE road trips.  

 I do! I actually love being stuffed into one vehicle with my family.(really!)

Singing, laughing, sometimes breaking up fights-yes...but mostly just enjoying our time together. I also love going "down-home" to see my parents in Southern Illinois, as well as many of my aunts, uncles and cousins. Although I've never lived there myself, it's where my parent's grew up and where much of the family still lives, therefore it's always been referred to as "down-home". So it was an especially nice blessing this past week to be able to make the 8 hour trip down there. 

I wish it had been under different circumstances (with my parents recently separating) but it seemed to be productive and it also confirmed to us that God is working through this mess and in the end, whatever the the outcome is, it will bring Him glory. I have peace about it now.  

I always love I love watching the changing scenery as we travel here and there. I wonder how different life may be for someone in this house or that along the highway. So many of the old houses we passed must have amazing stories to tell.

  Driving through some of the Amish communities made me wonder at the simplicity of it. Are they more content than most, living such a simplistic lifestyle? I can see how they might be.

What about that old, delapitated house with the grass grown up around it and the junk strewn about the yard? Is the house a reflection of the condition of it's owners heart or life, or are they actually happier with their things scattered around them? Maybe it's empty...

...Or the beautiful, grand farm houses that look large enough to house an entire community? Who built it? Did it see more years of joy and love than tragedy or discord? What is it's history? How many generations have it's walls seen grow up and eventually depart?   

Is this just me being nosey? Maybe, but I think it's that part of me that loves exploring and also loves history. I'm not only intrigued by old houses, but old things in general.

And It feels good to step out of my suburbia bubble once in a while to take a look around- take a look back. That's sort of what we do here in the blogging community, isn't it? Step out of our own world and into others? I love that I can share and then explore around the US, then Canada, Australia, Europe, Asia...even when I can't leave my home.

By the way- Does your house have a story? I'd love to hear it! You can leave a comment or send me an email (which you'll find a link to in my profile.) I'd love to compile your stories (and pictures) as well as share my own, in a future post.

Hoping your day is Cherry  ~Jen