Solar Sconces

I shared with you some of my spring-time happenings, including some solar sconces I had made to go over a "welcome garden" at the top of our drive way.  I thought I would also share HOW I made those!

Last year my mom gave me some cute little metal candlestick sconces.

At Home Depot I found these solar lights, (the kind you stick in the ground) and they fit into the candlestick hole perfectly.

* I had to cut about half of the "stick" or base off of them, but I didn't take a picture before I chopped them up.

I just stuck the shortened solar light down into the sconce and boom, done!

 Hopefully I get some Purple Hyacinth growing again soon over the "trellis."

I think they ad a little something to our "entry" in the dark when my flowers aren't as visible!

DIY Glass Etching Gift

My little brother is getting married!!!

Today was the bridal shower and I was excited to dig out my Cricut for another project! 

For me, one of the exciting moments of marriage was seeing my new last name on my things! 

I used my cricut to cut out my letters.  I have a stash of sticky vinyl, but this can be bought at Walmart or any craft store. (If you use it often hit any local vinyl sign businesses and ask for their scraps!) 

Place the vinyl outline down smoothly on your surface and ad masking tape around any edges that are close.

I added tape to the top of the black, but it's not seen above.  

Using a paint brush or cotton swab, apply etching cream following the directions. 

*use gloves if you think you will get it on your skin.

**I have heard many say (including a disclaimer on the bottle) that it may not work on some Pyrex.  Both baking dishes I have etched were Pyrex and it worked both times.  I did leave it on for a few minutes verses just one minute per instructions, I am not sure if this is what made the difference.

Tip: the smoother, more even you can apply the cream the smother your "etch" will look.  

If you look too closely you can see a few blemishes, that part of a handmade gift right!?

No body will care when there is a sweet aroma coming from a baked yummy inside!

Spring fever!!!

It's the first day of spring! I have been hit with spring fever soooo bad!   I know I'm going to be somewhat miserable when the summer heat hits and I have been soaking up every minute outside possible!  

I had some old pallets piled up and made some quick&easy flower boxes...

I also made some solar sconces to go over a "welcoming garden" at the top of our driveway!

We finally got a new frame built for our greenhouse after it was destroyed by a storm last year.  Can't wait to get some seeds started this week.  

We already have a few potted tomatoes that we will keep here close to the house for easy pre-dinner access!

Our temporary strawberry bed is looking so good and I can't wait to see sweet red berries growing!  Next year I plan to have a more permanent bed set up for them.

I'm trying something new, a Pinterest find, and started some potatoes in a tall trash bin.  We will see how this goes the next couple months.  They first sprouted about a month after I started them.  They aren't tall enough to add the next layer of dirt yet.

We have definitely had some spring-teasing weather lately, with some days in the 80's!  The critters around the farmyard have been feeling it and I believe they to are ready for spring! 

Reading Lately...the secret is out!

SOOO, the secret is finally out!  

We're expecting!!!

With everything we went through last year, Brett was understandably hesitant to spread the word too fast.  

We serve a God of miracles and can't wait to meet the latest at the end of August!!!  It's going to be one long hot summer for this mama but totally worth it!!!  

We are so blessed God chose us for this journey and know that it will bring us even closer to Him!

*Oh! and the reading part... the "What to Expect" book is super overwhelming.  I have just been thumbing through it.  It contains a lot of what I would consider common sense but also contains some good "heads-up" tid-bits!

Although exciting, this season in life is a huge reminder of our need for our Lord.  Without a doubt I will need His strength and comfort now and the months to come more than ever!

the BEST cobbler...

I'm so excited to share this amazing recipe I found!

The last couple months all I have wanted to eat was fruit.  I was getting tired of apples and cuties so in Sams I found some plums.  They were really sweet and juicy, but the container was pretty big and I wasn't eating them fast enough.  I was afraid they were going to go bad before I had a chance to eat all of them.

I decided some kind of cobbler was probably my best chance to use them.  I found a recipe from Joy the Baker  and had to try it!  This will be my new go to recipe for just about any type of cobbler!

Look at the color! Don't they look amazing...

(do you spy that Pioneer Woman mug!? I have an amazing secret sister at church and she has contributed greatly to my collection!)

I sliced up the plums, leaving the skins on. They cooked down enough that the skins weren't an issue for me, but my husband ended up eating around the skins.  So if you have a picky "texture eater" around you may want to try skinning your fruit.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose four

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 teas cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

3/4 cup milk

3 cups fruit (berries, apricots, plum, etc)

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat until it bubbles.  Do not burn the butter but allow it to develop brown color

2. Pour the butter into an 8in or 9in square baking dish.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the gradulated sugar, flour, baking powder and spices.  Add milk and stir.

4. Pour the mixture on top of the melted butter DO NOT STIR.  Arrange the fruit evenly over the batter.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.

5. Bake for 40-45 min until the top turns golden brown.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

The batter will rise through fruit.  If only you could smell it! 

Lately...

Lately, I fell like I have been EVERYWHERE! (except here!)

Lets just say 2016 did not arrive quietly!  We have had so much going (some I cant even disclose...yet!) that most days I forget which direction we are going.

We didn't finish all our Christmas festivities until after the first of the year, although its tiring, I love having so many great people to spend the holidays with!  The week of Christmas Brett and I were actually able to get away just the two of us for a couple days and took a road trip to Virginia.  It was part business, to deliver this precious boy to his new home...

But we took full advantage of the opportunity to have a few days to ourselves!  On our way back across the country we stopped and visited the Biltmore Estate.  I highly recommend a visit.  From the moment we went through the entrance gate I felt like we were in Beauty and the Beast, winding through the "forest" and the house was absolutely stunning, and I'm sure we only saw 1/4 of it during the 3 hour tour.  I have to agree with Belle, the library was my favorite room!  I was even interested in all the history of the family and land, which I'm ashamed to admit usually doesn't intrigue me so much.  We did a Christmas candlelight tour of the house and toured the rest of the grounds the following day.

I have got to get better about taking pictures.  I never think, "I'm going to want a picture of this later!"  Photos weren't allowed inside the house, but I didn't manage to take any of the rest of the grounds.

So, check out their website and see what your missing out on, it really is a beautiful property!

Ill have to catch you up on the rest on a different post, this has gotten a little long... see ya soon!

2015.

2015.

A year that holds so many emotions, struggles, and yet so many blessings.  Perhaps it is the very hardships that make the blessings so visibly bright.

One year anniversary.

The news of our first child! 

1st mission trip for We Arise Missions

The final steps in incorporating "We Arise Missions"

Starting the process to become Foster parents.

Not 1, but 2 new nieces!

Furthering our involvement with Samaritain's Purse.

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Each up had its down, some more than others.  But at the end of the day (or year) knowing that the future we all know so little about, is in the hands of the all knowing, ever loving, perfect Father, makes every second uncomparable to the Grace & Glory that we can rest in!