The painters are here!!!! Projects are progressing!!!!

Praise God for wonderful painters! In about a week our entire house will be painted and I can't wait. No more chalky builder paint!!! I was able to use the painters that worked on my last house. I am so glad!!! They are wonderful!!

Trae almost finished the trim on the LR/DR floors and he installed our new sink and faucet. Our list is getting more and more complete.

I suppose I am nesting a bit. It is the women in me that wants my home to be a place of beauty, love, peace and refuge. The older I get the more I treasure home. My boys have a heart for home too. They both enjoy being here and both crave home cooked meals often. After days at camp or on vacation they start making request.

Our original goal was to be complete with a lot (not all) of our projects by mid August. That is when our school year will start back up and the stress of too many home projects would be too much. Decorating for me takes years. I am not quick to do so. I like to find things as life happens not go on a search. So no rush in that area. I love to find treasures where our journey take us and that means life and time has to happen not just a trip to the area shopping mall.

My husband has become a lot more of a handy man. Bless his heart as I know it has stretched him but he has faced the music and taken on each job. And it all has worked out. He is an amazing man and his attitude and heart is the best thing about him.

I will have to post pictures when all is said and done.

Pine Cove pictures!

I am so sorry I have been delayed in posting updates and pictures. Remember that post on home projects? Well we returned to lots of work at home and needing to tend to those goals so I have been a bit sidetracked. I posted a few of the 700 pictures we took! I have a DVD from our week that is a great way to get a glimpse at Pine Cove if you want to see it. It sums up the week in about 10 mins! We had a wonderful week and we are so grateful for that place and all it stands for. It is hard to describe but I usually describe it as the best place on this planet.

Most of the pictures explain themselves but I few I wanted to share about. Trae and the Robot costume is a special pictures. The week before Pine Cove I was busy and we were talking about the theme nights. Jacob asked what were we doing for Space age night. I told at this point not much. I hadn't made anything or bought anything and was stumped. Theme nights at Pine Cove are optional. You don't have to do them or you can dress to the hilt and run with it. But Jacob loves space stuff and all. I went off to my ladies group that evening and returned to the beginning of the robot. Jacob collects tin toys and he has a green robot one that he loves. He and Trae made a life size one for Jacob! They worked on it all week and Jacob was the hit of space night! What a incredible gift Trae gave Jacob by caring so much for something that he knew he would love.

The pictures of the man singing is Anthony Evans. He has come down a couple years we are there on banquet night and sung. He is incredible. It is a special treat for us and we are always blessed! His dad is Tony Evans and he grew up going to Pine Cove and eventually was a counselor there. Amazing voice, amazing family and amazing blessing to our week. Now if we can just get his sister Priscilla there to speak! She is one of my favorites!!!!!

Trae and Jacob did the zip line. Andrew wants a piano. They love riding horses in the mornings and Jacob is a huge fisherman at heart. He would grab his pole for a hour of fishing each morning before breakfast. We are so blessed the friendships that we have made a Pine Cove. Each of us have made connections that year or year we grow in. Jacob loves his Pate and Caleb. They are like the 3 Musketeers!

We already signed up for next year! Just like everything else the price went up but for us it is pricele$$!

We are headed off to the best place on this earth!

We are headed off to Pine Cove for a week of family camp. Every year about mid-July this is where you will find our family. It is amazing and something that we treasure every year and look forward too. Our spirits are renewed, our relationships are strengthened, our bodies are pushed and we connect with one another and the body of Christ in a way that I believe the Lord designed us too. We are grateful for so many things about Pine Cove and the amazing counselors is at the top of our list. I will post some pictures when we return! The picture above is our last picture from last year. Pine Cove here we come!!!

Who knew she had it in her???

Corrie is a gem, a servant, down to earth, fun loving gal! But who knew she had it in her to win the salsa smack down?! The look on her face after proved it might have been a bit much but she did it and has the loot to prove it!!!

Salsa smack down with the sistas!

A couple of friends from church organized a fun ladies night out complete with a salsa smack down! It was a salsa eating contest. I didn't participate but I did take pictures! Corrie was our big winner! Love our group of Texas gals!

I am in love with a older man!!!

Actually before you start to get very concerned let me tell you who and why! I am in love with Papa John! Yep, that is right. The pizza chain Papa John. I found out today that they have a wheat crust pizza. When I heard it I thought yeah, yeah....a ton of things boast they are made with wheat but really it is not true 100% whole wheat. Advertising wheat or grains is a way to bring in sales and you really have to check the ingredients first and know what to look for. I found out on their website that it is indeed 100% whole wheat with the Whole Grain Council stamp of approval! Well you can indeed guess what we had for dinner. I must support this company so they keep selling this little bit of heaven! It was incredible. It was the first pizza I had in 7 months (once I had pizza toppings when I was really craving pizza) and it was incredible. My husband loved it too. Jacob didn't want pizza so I made him some whole grain pasta with sauce and garlic bread. Honestly fine with me! That means more to save for us.

I haven't been blogging much.....

Kind of feeling like not much has happened when really things have.

1. I had the most amazing carrot cake that a friend make. Yes not on my plan but honestly it was the best cake I had ever had.

2. I saw the Lord provide for my youngest son in an amazing way. He has been so faithful to him however it is a huge blessing to this mama to see that provision continue when the need arises.

3. My oldest son has blessed my socks off. He amazes me. He surprises me. There are times I worry about this, that or the other about him but then it usually isn't too long where he shows me or the Lord allows me a glimpse into his heart and life and I have peace and know that I am seeing the fruit in his life after many years of sowing into his life and heart.

4. I stood before my church body today and was so blessed. Not because we are a perfect church but just grateful for the body God has placed me in. He has a place for us and although we have only been there about 3 years it amazes me to see how the Lord has knit us within the body.

5. I finally got our master closet cleaned and organized. I resisted the urge to have a garage sale and donated it all. The frugal part of me thought about having a yard sale (and Jacob tried to talk me into it) and using the $$ for something fun but the TX heat won out.

6. I met a really neat woman last week at our HWY meeting. She sang over us and we had a wonderful time of praise and worship and than individual prayer. She totally read my mail too! It was a surprise blessing.

7. We enjoyed a evening of playing games with our dear friends. It was especially great because our oldest son was able to come too.

8. At my dentist appt this last week she told me that I had been doing a great job and should receive a gold star!

9. I attended the funeral of a old friend. Trae got to know him about 15 years ago and myself about 8 year ago. He was an amazing man who will be greatly missed. He was the "big brother" of Bethesda and his life will forever leave an impression.

10. My dh is days away from having his life insurance in place. He has a small amount from his work but not enough. We are following Daves advice and getting a certain amount based on income and I will admit I think I will sigh when it is signed! I have reminded him that we would have to pack up and move if something happened to him.