Pedicures at Home

It's been really hot here, like close the shades and hide out inside kind of hot. Or just escape to the river. The river escape worked for yesterday, but today found us hiding inside wondering what to do.

An evening of river play and floating wreaks havoc on the best looking toes, so the girls and I did some impromptu pedicures this afternoon.

First you fill a tub with cool sudsy water. Soak those toes and scrub them clean.

The girls helped me get mine nice and clean too.


Then we take off the old polish. We file and trim our nails and scrub our heels. Then mom uses a great foot scrub all over her feet and lower legs. She mixes raw sugar with olive oil and scrubs away. It really moisturizes and feels great too. It's perfect for our hot, dry climate. After that mom uses special peppermint foot cream all over. Then swipe some nail polish remover over those nails and polish away. And here's where you remind two squirmy girls to sit still, that's the tough part.

After it's all said and done, admire your work!



It didn't really cool us down, but it sure was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Beautiful toes-beautiful life! Head over to Melissa's Beautiful life series to see how others are finding beauty.

This is how we do Camping

We have lots of fun on the way.


We enjoy the scenery. Isn't Mt Hood beautiful?


We untangle Cayden's hair from her finger while we drive.

We have lots of fun rides.


We get in good hammock time.


We watch an amazing play.


We love on the newest members of the family.


We play lots of games.


And we make sure we take time to be silly.


Then we sleep almost all the way home.

Of course there's lots of campfire time with s'mores. And lots of games and just good quality time with family.

We had an amazing time at our annual family camp out. It always amazes me how much fun we have. Even though we only see each other once or twice or a year, it's like we're always together. I love watching our kids with the cousins, and I love the chance to get away. It's camping done right.

Lessons on Hospitality

Hospitality is a big deal for us around here. We strive to make sure the door is always open for guests and that they always feel comfortable and at home.

I've always hoped that this trait would carry on for my kids, especially the girls.

And then I found this.



Maybe they're learning it by watching us.

Make room for an extra bed, improvise and do what it takes to make sure your guests are settled.


Be creative, and also be willing to sacrifice. Do you see Grandma sleeping in the bathtub in the first picture?

If you look closely you will see that this a full house. Our kids have watched us entertain through the years. They've seen us shuffle beds around, give up our room, ask them to give up theirs. We've never had discussions on hospitality, but I think they're learning an awful lot by watching. And I love that.

For some other great stuff on hospitality be sure to read this post from The Reluctant Entertainer. Oh, she's got a great apron giveaway too-perfect for all your hospitable moments.

Working and Resting

nationwidehammocks.com

Sometimes I feel like I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Striving and working and doing way more than I should. Life’s obligations can come crashing down on me all at the same time, leaving me overwhelmed and exhausted.

Surprisingly, this makes me think of God’s grace, his grace that is available to me regardless of how I strive and strain. God’s grace, his unmerited favor and love, is not dependant on what I do. Good works won’t earn God’s grace, ever. It is all about faith and his great love.

Through faith, and faith alone, I will receive God’s mercy and grace. In that I can find rest. I can relax, knowing that I do not have to work to earn my salvation. I’m pretty sure God is way more concerned about me being with him and loving those who don’t know him, than about a whole pile of good deeds. Jesus himself tells us this in the book of Matthew.

I think most of us strive a bit too much and in that forget to be. Forget to be a child of God, forget to sit at his feet, forget to walk in simple faith like a child does.

Good works are good, but they are never a means to salvation, or a replacement for faith. Only faith, and belief in God’s great gift of life through Jesus and his death and resurrection , can accomplish the work of salvation in me.

When I’m overtaxed and overwhelmed I find doing the opposite of what I want to do brings rest. When my list is long and my heart is burdened with work, sitting at Jesus’ feet places everything in the right perspective. There I can relax in his grace and his love.

Jesus asks us to come to him.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

I'm coming today, with no other motivation but to be near him and hear his heartbeat. I know I'll come away refreshed and ready to tackle all the day brings.

How to Hike with your Kids

Pick a beautiful spot. It helps to be near water and make sure it's a short hike. If you've never hiked with your kids before it's probably not such a good idea to start with a four miler. We took on a little more than a mile this time.


Make sure you bring plenty of snacks.

Plan for plenty of time to stop and watch the scenery.

And pose for pictures.

Sometimes it gets frustrating along the way, remember that it's all about spending time together in God's beautiful creation.

Help each other along the way, and again make sure there's lots of snacks.


Stop to enjoy all you see.

Stick together, there should not be any lone rangers while out hiking.

And when they get tired along the way, give them a lift. It's pretty nice to have a sleeping gal on your shoulders.


Above all, remember to have fun. Hiking for us is all about being together and exposing our kids to nature. If it's torture for them, they might not enjoy it so much later in life. Start small and work up to big hikes, remember that a mile to little legs seems a lot longer than a mile to us. And, really can't stress it enough, bring plenty of snacks. A little treat along the way helps when they're tired.

And it's a great idea to plan a little treat on the way home. We usually make sure to stop of ice cream or at a local bakery on the way home. It's great incentive to keep going and a great reward for those little hikers who made it the whole way all by themselves.

Hiking for us is a great way to have fun close to home. We are blessed to live in an area with lots of options nearby, and try to take advantage of them a few times a month. It's a great way to get away, while still being close to home.

Sharing these adventures as a family is one of the things that makes life beautiful. Head over to Melissa's Beautiful Life series and see how others are finding beauty this week.

No Cost Window Treatments

Or, how bout mistreatments?

When summer comes I find myself longing to switch things out and add a lighter touch to my home. And when summer comes I usually find myself short on cash; being summer it goes to things like sunscreen and trips and fun stuff.

So what's a cash strapped decorator to do? Improvise, of course.

My good friend, who knows me so well found a sweet little table runner on the clearance rack at TJ Maxx. Three dollars for that. It sat happily on the table for a while. Then I stumbled upon four matching place mats on the clearance rack for one dollar. Well table linens in general just don't fly at my house. Too many kids and too many projects; not to mention a variety of spills, at least three per meal. (That's one per kid, if you're counting)

My wheels started turning and then my eyes landed on the ring clips hanging from my curtain rod. Why not?

I clipped up the runner.

Too short.

Hmmm, I grabbed two place mats and clipped one on each end. To make the ends look more finished I just folded the place mats behind.

You can see the line where the runner ends and place mat starts. That's okay-I'm cool with that. I really only notice if I'm looking for it.

I love the result, and when I'm ready for a change I can take it down and put it back on the table. Or use it for a scarf, or a small rug-I'm open to anything these days. It's all about using what you have.


Which brings me to my kitchen window. After I painted the cabinets the window seemed to be really bare, it was screaming for some love. I didn't want to cover up my half hour "stencil" job (really just over sized foam stamps). And I didn't want to spend any money. Remember, summer and sunscreen. I'd rather spend my husband's hard earned cash on other stuff.

I remembered some napkins I found somewhere on clearance, I think they were one dollar, for four. I brought them home and loved them, and when I went back to get more they were gone. Drat. They've been sitting in a drawer ever since.

Now they happily live above my kitchen window.

Here's how they got there:



I took the four place mats and cut them in half, diagonally. Then I tucked them over the little flat piece that covers the top of the blinds. Then I walked away. That's all there is to it. Sometimes the wind undoes them, but otherwise they've totally stayed. It's not perfect but it's sure pretty dang close.

That's good enough for me.

I'm linking up to Kimba's DIY party today, head over and check out all sorts of cool DIY projects.

Through the Lens: Capturing Stories

Today I am reminded to celebrate moments. This picture was an attempt to capture our little niece with her great-grandma. The lighting wasn't all that great and that little one was a bit wiggly. All I could do was click away, in hopes that I would capture something.

And I did. I captured a shot of generations, sharing together. I was pretty much oblivious to what was happening in the background, my daughter and her older cousin reading. I didn't even notice Grandma and baby looking on. But I'm so glad I caught it.

It is such a great picture of life right now.

Now this great picture is my current favorite scrapbook page. I love these four ladies, I love what the represent in my life, I love that I get to share life with them. That is a moment I want to celebrate, a moment I'm so glad I captured.









Today Melissa at the Inspired Room is sending out the reminder to capture those beautiful moments. Head on over to see the beauty that others are capturing today.

To me it seems like a game of hide and seek; if we look hard for them, they will be found. I'm going on a treasure hunt today, camera in hand, looking to capture a few things. Care to join me?

Picking my Projects

photo credit: Cottage Living

"I will walk in my house with a blameless heart."

Psalm 101:2 provides us with a glimpse into King David's desires for his home. Another version states, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart."

What is this perfect, blameless heart that David was referring to? A perfect heart is one that is not divided, it has integrity and wholeness (Warren Wiersbe: Prayer, Praise and Promises).

David wanted to walk through his home with an undivided heart, one that is focused on God and his authority and plans above all else. A blameless heart that placed the priority on what God wants to do and accomplish, not on what we feel must be done.

As women and homemakers (whether we stay at home or work outside of it) we have the great task of walking through our homes with an undivided heart. I know that I often struggle with a heart pulled in many directions. What I want to do around the house and what I must do in my roles as wife and mom do not always match up. When they don't I find that the pulling I feel creates tension and stress in my home. My job and goal should be to create a place of peace, this can only be found by surrendering my thoughts on home to God's thoughts on home.

We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 10 to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The Mofffatt translation states it this way"...I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ." As a homemaker this struck me. How often do I take on every project that comes my way, without running it by God first, without checking on his timing?

All of what I do as a homemaker should reflect Christ's priority and Christ's leading. Do I jump into projects around the house without thinking through the process? Will a great idea (like painting or redecorating, remodeling, moving the furniture around....) enhance the spirit of my home? I would say no if in the process I neglect bigger things; time with my husband and children, finances (yes, most projects take some cash) or even my own health. How may of us have stayed up too late to finish one more thing, or grown stressed out because we can't get it done just right, or can't even get it done at all?

Yes, a new project may make my home look better. But if in the process I neglect the spirit of home, my home and all who live there will suffer for it. I am encouraged and reminded today that I must surrender all of my heart to God, the part of my heart that wants time for little projects around the house and the more important part of my heart that wants to be the best wife and mom that I can be. Sometimes the most important calling will ask us to lay the other desires of our hearts aside for a season. We must pursue Christ's best for us, in doing that we take every project prisoner and choose to walk in our house with an undivided heart.What if we're in the middle of a project that just is not working, do you find yourself fighting to get it all done? Ask God for his perspective and his ideas on how and when to complete it. Maybe it's time to lay it aside for a bit. It will still be there next week or next month. What if your thinking of beginning a new project, big or small? Pray about it first, seek Christ's perspective. If it's the right thing for you and your home God will make the way. He'll provide finances or creativity in lack of finances, he'll provide time, and he'll provide the grace to get it all done on his schedule.My first priority as a homemaker, as a woman, is to create a home-not a show house. The spirit and heart of my home is the most important thing. If I put that first, the rest will come at the right time. It's a matter of my heart and surrendering it to Christ.

Where'd we go?

We've been away-Zac and I took off for an amazing summer camp week. We've been gone, away from the kids for seven days now. Yikes. I think it's safe to say that we're missing them. My amazing sister has been doing her best to capture them for us, she nailed it with this. My two and her one-stunning, isn't it?



This is where we've been, and who we've been with. Pretty cool, huh? About two hundred of us all together-most of us middle and senior high students. We had an amazing worship band and one awesome speaker. And God. He's the most important and he showed up in a big way for us, for those kids. It was pretty fun to see, it was awesome to watch and be a part of kids connecting with God. In all our years of youth ministry this is going down as one of the best camps. Best for us, best for our group, best over all.

Now, we've got some serious sleep to catch up on. Those munchkins of ours are coming home tomorrow!