Monday, June 13, 2016

Tear Jerker

So its been "one of those last couple of days" that everything I see, think or watch makes me cry.  Why do us women have to be this way?  I'm going through this stage in life where I'm realizing that I'm not 25 anymore (nor do I want to be that age again, lol) but just something has really hit me here so hard.  The fact that I'm edging closer to 40 than 30.  I have enjoyed mother hood so so much!  Every part of it, the pregnancy, delivery, the nursing all hours of the night, being the only one they wanted when they cried, teaching them to walk, talk, just all of it!  I do enjoy the ages that they are at now also.  Seeing them realize that they are big enough to have their on responsibilities.  The changes that are among us are not going to always be fun, (tweens!) sigh...... but I am embracing each part because I know it only last for a short time and then it moves on to the next thing.

But where I'm at as mom feels devastating.  I enjoyed the baby stage so much!  So now its like that word "Final"  no going back, no experiencing the nursing, burping, baby food, teething, teaching to walk, all these sweet moments are over for me.  I have to wait to become a grandmother to experience this again. (excuse me while I wipe the tears off the keyboard, because I am crying as I write this.  My husband says I'm nuts.... we have four precious, beautiful, healthy children.  I have been pregnant 5 times.  (I lost twins in between baby 1 and 2)  My husband feels like we have finally "arrived"  could you hear the music playing dun ta dun dun...... as I said arrived.  We for the most part,  get to sleep through the night and have everyone in their own beds now.  But for me it's heart breaking.  I don't know why I feel this way.  I would love to have a couple more but I know that this chapter of my life is over.  I guess that's what make me so sad.  Hear lately I have been listening to this song by Nichole Nordeman called Slow Down.  I boo hoo every time I listen to it.  Its the perfect song for the way I have felt lately.  I listen to KLove all the time and they play it all the time, but if you don't listen to that station, please take a few mins and watch this video and listen to the song.  Of course listening to it a couple of times makes it even more special.  It is a excellent song, for all mothers!   Slow Down by Nichole Nordeman

Please be in prayer for me, that these sad feelings pass soon.  God knows best, there is a reason he made us to be like we are, but closing a door of life is always hard.

Oh and feel free to sob, I was in the car the other day singing and crying at the same time, while my husband looks on with this dazed and confused look, says, "what?" I'm wiping the tears away saying, "Don't you get it?"  Nope, No they don't! So I cry through the rest of the song thinking, "How beautiful!" but then when its over I'm mad??? So like what alien took over my body?
 I look at him, while he is waiting for me to explain and say, "STUPID SONG" and he's like OOOOK.... Thank Goodness I have a patient man!  Well, I hope that you, if you are a mom, that is struggling like I am with loosing the baby stage you will enjoy this song and the good cry that goes along with it!

XOXO
Hayley

 

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

UB4ME

I wish that I had wrote this post when I listen to the message a couple of weeks ago in my quiet time and said, "Wow, this is awesome way to think of how we should love each other!"

If you have read any of my other blog post then you know that my husband and I love to listen to Pastor James McDonald from Walk in the Word Ministries.   This past week I was listening to a series that talks about husbands and wives and their roles and what they can do to help improve their marriage.  As I sit and listen to the message, it is directed towards the different roles that a marriage has and how we are to do our parts.  The message that I'm including as a link is driven towards husbands, but when ever he is preaching even if its towards the men I still take and apply anything I can that will help me to do better at doing my part.  The message is centered around Ephesians 5:22 and how Christ loves the church and how we are to apply this to our marriages.
I found that he talks of doing this simple thing. "You before Me"

After listening to this and how this is what Christ did for us, it made me want to think on this daily.  If we would all apply this not only to our marriages but to everyone and everything in life imagine with life would be like?  So I urge you to listen to this message.  Especially men, if you want to understand your wives, or have the best marriage possible you can really learn a lot of things by listening.  To be able to really tone in and understand what Christ meant to love your wives as He loved the church.  I'm so blessed to have a wonderful husband that understands this.  He understood this even earlier than what I did.  We have days were we have to really help each other, but for the most part he and I understand now what the scripture means.  I am so truly blessed and thankful that the Lord put us together.

I hate that when I heard the message I didn't sit down and write this, I took notes and knew I wanted to make a post but am just getting around to it and now the link is gone on their website because they are constantly putting on new messages, but I did find it on you tube.  So here is the link, but you will have to watch it instead of just listening.

The Matter of Marital Roles

I hope that you enjoy this as much as we do.

Love and Prayers
Hayley


Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Ship lap style Island with Butcher Plank Top

Everyone has went Ship Lap Crazy.  At least a lot of the people I talk to cause of the farmhouse style that has been sweeping across Pinterest and other areas of design.  I absolutely love this style of decorating because it reminds me of my Mema's house.  She has always had the white walls and old furniture.  I am slowly but surly trying to change a lot of the old things I have into more of this style because I love the colors and this style of decorating.  

This kitchen project has been going through my mind for over a year.  I have sketched, used kitchen apps, and talked with people from all over trying to decide just how I wanted to make my kitchen look different but not spend a lot of cash. Especially since I stay home with the kiddos.  Which means that I must do most of the labor myself if I want to make the changes.  The kitchen is such a important room in the house so I have really tried to take my time in making decisions, which I'm still not done yet. So yes, some of the things on the walls dont' match, I have ripped the tile off the back splash ( wow, can you just say huge holes!) and its nowhere near done.  So for today I'm only talking about the island cause that's all that's finished right now.  




Let me show you how I tore the tile off of the bottom of the island.  
We had regular tile under the front side of the island and laminate on top.


 I started with using a flat head screw driver and hammer to loosen the tile which I was able to reuse these tile in a area outside that was always muddy and now we have tile to step on at the dog lot. (double use, score!)

 Of course I always have helpers when we do a job.  Isaiah working hard at removing the grout.

Once I removed it I was able to lightly sand it and then start adding the plywood that I had cut in 5 in planks.  These were a little wider than the original wall because I wanted a wide plank. I also wasn't going to do the distressed look on this.  I used pennies to place in between each plank so it would look like original ship lap was there.

I used a nail gun and a regular circular saw to cut and measure all the boards and attach them to the island except the front.

The front was a little different.  I have hickory cabinets and wanted to have a white wash finish but I also wanted the hickory to show through.  You typically don't see hickory cabinets whitewashed but I said hey, I will give it a try.  So I took all the doors off the hinges.
Please ignore all the pots and pans, I am trying to take the pots off my pot rack that hangs to keep the dust off while I work so they were all crammed in these cabinets. (yuck) 

Next I took the doors outside and lightly sanded them so that the stain would adhere.  Once I had them sanded I used some tacky cloth from Lowes to remove all the dust.  Once they were clean, I started staining them with White Wash pickling stain from Lowes.  I lightly covered them with a 2 dollar brush.  Once they were dry (after a few hours) I lightly sanded them again to give them a finished look.  This picture will be in the end with the top attached.  
Next I went to a awesome lumber yard in Mayodan, NC called Wall Lumber
There they spent a gracious amount of time talking with me and helping me to pick out the exact wood that I wanted for my top! I was so grateful because I knew once I bought this huge heavy piece of wood there was no going back.  So I ordered it and Bam in like 30 days it was ready for pick up.
I decided to go with Ambrosia Maple.  I thought it was beautiful.  I also had 2 legs cut from regular maple to help the top be very secure.
We centered the top on the bar. This was probably the hardest part, because if your floor is not level in all aspects you have to scoot the top around until you make sure all the edges are equal.  You shouldn't try to do this by yourself.  It helps to have a second eye.  

 We purchased a rotary dremel tool at Lowes to help cut the top.  We used my gas range top as a template and then attacked painters tape to the top because the man at Wall Lumber said this will help with top not splintering.  We both took turns cutting because this wood was almost 2"s thick and the tool does get hot.  Once we made pretty good size starting points we went with saws all to finish cutting.  (I don't suggest this) But after I had cut one side and he had cut the other we could get in with the saw and move much faster.  He is a really steady hand with it cause he uses it daily in his taxidermy shop, but typically you would just use a jigsaw and make the straight cuts.  





Once the whole was finished, we cleaned up.  I added the trim from Lowe's to the edges with the nail gun to give it a finished look.  You can get as wide with the trim as you like but I chose a inch wide trim and put it on each corner on both sides to make it looked more finished. I took a soft cloth and wiped over the front with Boiled Linseed Oil to Seal the cabinets.  I let that dry overnight.  I also used Boos Block Butcher block cream on my top and let that sit over night.  Once you get up and wipe it down it's read to use.  


We were very tickled with how it turned out!  Now what are we gonna jump on next?




Monday, May 23, 2016

The 3 Do's

Where are you at with Parenting? Teenagers, children under foot, kids in elementary school? Where ever you are it's a tough job!  I know this because I have all ages except high school, haven't gotten there yet.  You know how hard this life can be sometimes, especially when raising children. 


 As I was listening to one of the best pastors in the world in my head phones during my quiet time he was passing on some of the best advice I've ever heard.  He says that trying to raise children is like trying to push a car that's in first gear, with the emergency brake pulled, with a load of sumo wrestlers inside from New York to Hawaii and back!!! Boy does this sound so true! But with that said you also want to raise them with patience and love! Wow, talking about hard... If you know me well, you know that I'm a parent that wants to raise my kids with a firm hand.  I was raised that way.  Obedience was very very important.  I feel this is something that our country lacks today.  I don't want to make this one of those long winded post that drags on and on forever. So to get to the point.....
The reason for this post is because after listening the other day to this message it made me want to help others.  Some of the information in the message I knew from being taught from my parents, but a lot of it changed the way I looked at parenting.  The message is so clear.  Children MUST obey their parents because it is RIGHT. Ephesians 6:1 

If you are needing some good guidance on what the bible says about parenting please please listen to this message.  Its by James McDonald on WalkintheWord.com
This is the link The Matter of Parenting
Please check it out.. The messages are about 26 mins long.... You can pull it up on your phone on the way to work.  I use my head phones and listen to his message every day.  Sometimes when I first started learning to do quiet time, I wandered, "What preachers on the radio can be trusted?"  This one can.  He is legit.  My husband and I have listened to him for years and have went to hear him speak.  He is a true follower of our Lord Jesus Christ and gives good sound advice and follows the word.  

Once I started listening and got used to the way he teaches I wanted to hear him every day and I miss it when I can't listen.  If you are having to leave really early in the am and find it hard to have quiet time or time to read your bible, this is a great way to hear Gods word and its only 26 mins long... Most people have to drive at least that much time on the way to work.  Please I encourage you to give it a shot....Or if you don't have data, I have this series on the family on disk, I would be glad to share it with you!  Especially those who are just starting out with small babies. While he is speaking, take notes, you will need them!  

You need to bring them up in the Lord... after all it's the most important thing you will do in this life! I by no way am a perfect parent and I'm learning this all myself, so any help I can get is very much appreciated.   After all, these other things will come to pass, life in eternity with Jesus and our loved ones is what matters most!

I loved loved what he says... these are things we implement in our home as well.  

3 Do's
1. Do what you are told.
2. Do it immediately.
3. Do it with a good attitude!

If you have any questions, or need to speak to someone about becoming a follower of Christ please feel free to email me...knowlescrew6@gmail.com   or to comment about the message or if you need to borrow the disk, leave me a comment below...


Love all you guys!
Hayley

Thursday, May 19, 2016

NEW APPRECIATION

Last night, very late I was still up working on projects.  I have so many things churning through my head....I want to try this, and this....AHHHHHH I wish my brain would just relax sometimes.  It's so hard when you have these ideas of things you want to try and be successful at, but know that it takes time, money and prayers that you don't waste any of them.

I have such appreciation now for wreath makers.  I have never really been a picky wreath person.  I could see ones that I thought looked pretty or thought, "Wow they really put a lot into making that look nice."  But since I haven't ever really had the time or money to decorate as I would like, I've never put that much focus on it.  I would see where people would put their wreaths on Facebook, or I would go to the Ginger Bread House in Danville, VA. and think, "Wow really? That much for a wreath?"  But wow was I wrong!

I'll never have a beautiful wreath for my front door if I have to pay those prices.  So since I've gotten on this farmhouse style kick I'm on, I decided I wanted to try and make a couple of wreaths for the house.  I have been to Hobby Lobby and a couple other places gathering things to make them.  Well once I started looking at cotton stems and pretty floral stems the prices started to add up! Then the time it takes to put it all together.  I said at 1 and again at 2am last night, "No wander these people ask so much for the their wreaths!"

Just looking on the computer for 1 cotton stem was 8 to 10 dollars.  So now that I'm trying to make a go at making a couple of these, if I sell them that's great, but if not I'm learning to have more of a appreciative heart towards others who have taken their time and money to make special gifts or decorations for their homes.  I'm putting a picture of my new front door wreath and a couple of others that I have made in the last several days.  If you are interested in any like these please shoot me a email.  knowlescrew6@gmail.com










Wednesday, May 11, 2016

NEW WAY OF DISTRESSING!

I have been distressing some furniture here lately, coffee tables, rockers, glider rockers and end tables.  For the most part, I have used the same process for all of them, sanding, painting with a flat paint, wiping it down and then sealing them with a linseed oil because I wanted it to have a sealer on them but didn't want it to be shiny cause I wanted it to have a farmhouse old use look.  Well I tried this on a glider rocker that I had painted and it went horribly wrong.  What happened, you ask?

Well I tried doing the same process but I wanted to use a glossy paint so this glider rocker would be a little different and all the furniture wouldn't look the same.


This was the chair before I started working on it.  It was just a typical glider rocker that I had from when the kids where born.  It had blue cushions.
I didn't take a picture of the mess I made, I guess I should have but I was frustrated and didn't think about it.  The process was, I sanded it so the paint would adhere to it.  I wiped it down with a soft cloth and then used 2 cans of glossy black paint from Lowes.  Their generic brand .99 each.  Once I did this I used a sheet of the bendable sand paper and distressed it.  It looked pretty good so I then decided to add the linseed oil.  Big Mistake! I'm guessing where the glossy has a sealer or shinny consistency it wouldn't let the oil soak into the wood.  It was sticky!!!  I mean like GUM! Yuck!
It reminds me of the trick where u put nasty stuff on a pair of binoculars and leave it for a person to give them raccoon eyes, buhahaha! Let someone sit in this chair and get up with stripes.. LOL
Anyways, I said well gotta go back to the drawing board.  So I bought a can of Acetone from Lowes. 
I took a old wash cloth and started wiping down the chair to get the gummy mess off.  The more I wiped the more I liked the way the wood was looking old.  So I wiped and wiped it. Once I took most of the sticky off I sanded over it a little and then resprayed in a few places where it took off to much.  I ended up really liking the way it looked in the end so I didn't go back with any flat paint.  I never thought about painting it and then using acetone to strip it down to give it a distressed look.  








I puchased painters slip covers from Walmart.  They are around 17 each and I have used them to cover 3 different chair projects.  So I spent around 15 bucks on this project.  

This is a couple of pictures of other projects that I distressed earlier, but I did it the other way that I mentioned at the top.  I used flat paint and used the linseed oil to seal them.  I liked the way they turned out also.  These are the supplies I used for most of the projects.








First before and after is a end table I have had for years. 
 Sanded and ready for paint


Sanded after paint


 Coat of flat black on top and then sanded to distress.




 
This is the finished product.  You can see the arm of the lazy boy chair that was teal blue, yes teal that I recovered with the painters slip cloth that come from Walmart that I mentioned above. 





Another Project is my moms rocker that she rocked us in as baby's.  I wanted to incorporate that in my projects because it was Green... 
 This is when I started it. I had already sanded right much on it by the time I remembered to take a picture.  

I had painted it flat black and sanded it down, then painted it again.  




This chair had some old cushions, I also recovered those with slip cloth. This slip cloth has covered everything and it was only 17 Bucks!


















OVERWHELMED?

Do you ever feel like "Yes the world is spinning, and Yes I know this, but my world is spinning around, forwards, backwards, and upside down!" This is the way mine gets sometimes.  Between homeschooling my kids, crafts, group, church, and just daily chores and activities I think OK it needs to slow down just a second.  I start to notice so many changes in myself when I give way to these things and loose my focus on God.  Once the enemy has us in his web of business we loose that still calmness that God gives us and the next thing I know I'm crying to my husband saying, "I can't get it all done, or how did I get so out of wack?" (poor guy) Cause believe me I can be a nut case A LOT!

So every time I get like this, somehow, someway, God will whisper to me, Hayley, its time to slow down.  Step Back just a second.  I was so blessed last week with being able to go to Charleston, SC for my 15 year anniversary.

It was such a awesome trip! For the first time in 15 years we were able to go and spend time together, more than 24hrs!! YAY! It was a much needed trip to help me restore myself.  It was expensive which I wasn't exactly happy about, but I will never forget it and we made wonderful memories.  Sometimes we need time like this to restore, but during the daily walk of life you can't just take off and go to another state.  

God wants us to know that we need to come to him for our quiet, rest, and restoration.  
Let me tell you about how when you are toned into our Fabulous Lord and how he works things out! 

On the way to Charleston it poured down rain! I mean it gushed all the way there... 

By the time we got there my husband was exhausted from the drive. We had pulled over at least 3 times because it was coming down so hard we couldn't see to drive.  This makes me nervous because 2 things was running through my mind.

  1. I don't like it when I can't take the wheel myself and he was driving and I had to trust he was gonna drive the best he could.

 2. I haven't made any plans for my kids if something happens to me and him at the same time!! So like where would they go? Who would raise them?  AH!!!!! 

So instead of being a Co-Captain and driving him crazy, I just opened my bible to Psalm and come across this scripture.  
Talking about Good! Our God IS that large, that AWESOME.  At the time I didn't know why I was doing this particular one.  That's how God does, I will study it, draw it and then sometimes a week to 2 weeks later all that you have fed yourself in God's word comes back!!! This is why it says Put on the Full Armor of God.  Fill up your barns with his food so that when the drought comes you have something in your Food Bank!!!


Anyways, back to my scripture, it is from Psalm 56:8-11

Your have kept count of my tossings,
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back
in the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord whose word I praise, 
in God I trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

Isn't this Awesome!!!! I read this and then I do what I always do I google pictures of eyes and tears and then just start sketching to see how it's gonna turn out.  Other than the fact that I was uptight and God knew at that moment I needed to have something else on my mind so that I could relax and know he had everything under control..  But then once I got home and the week started back up and things start to get crazy, I realized that its not just for a stressful ride to the coast, its for daily walking. 
 He knows our tossings, he puts our TEARS in his bottle... Do you hear this???? He knows how many hairs we have, he catches our tears!!!! How can you not love our creator? How can people believe there is no GOD??? He loves us so so much! So back to my 2 things I was worried about. 

1. I wanted to take the wheel in the van!  
Well God says let me take the wheel its to heavy, and strong and you need to let me drive.

2. I don't know who will take care of (the kids) basically my family? 
God says if I can catch your tears in my bottle I think "I've Got This!" 

This morning when it occurred to me how Magnificent he is and how he has worked out all these things in my head just since the drive down to S.C. the song came on by Meredith Andrews. 
The main part of the song is this. 
AFTER ALL,
1. your are Constant
2. you are always Good
3. you are Sovereign 
and Not for A Moment did you forsake me!
There really isn't much more to say after that.  I urge you, if you are reading this and haven't made a decision to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, please get with someone knowledgeable that can help guide you and make that decision! It's the most important thing you can do in this life.  He can give you Restoration that a trip, vacation, money, none of these things can do.  He will give you Peace unlike any other. 
He will catch all your Tears!