Meadow Memories

Earlier this Fall we had a photoshoot at my parent's home. 

They have sold their home and will be moving to Strasburg THIS WEEKEND!!  We are so excited to have them close by! We wanted to capture our little family in the meadows around their home for the last time. Thank you to the talented Sara Lazio from Lazio Images for bottling up these moments for us!

I told Luke if he wins I'm never going to make him dinner again, 

and just like that, he shot back, "well, if you win I'm going to take all your jewelry and sell it!" This was that moment:

I love my meadow gang. 

My field of gold. 

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. 

There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” 

~Dr. Suess~

The Baker's Table

There's a new cafe' in town and we can't get enough of it! It's located outside Lancaster City and it's called The Baker's Table. Our sweet neighbor "Miss Sandy" works there so that's what got us there in the first place. 

 We had such a delightful time, except when we went to leave and the kids were banging on the window next door....(a salon and spa) and the owner had to come out to tell them to stop! Mortifying!  I was giving Sandy a goodbye hug and hadn't realized what they were doing. I made them apologize to him by name, "sorry Mr. Ryan for banging on your window."  It was kinda funny though, I mean, of ALL the windows in the place they HAD to pick the one that belongs to the spa!   

 The menu is creative and delicious 

and the room is large, yet cozy....it's nice for picking a corner without feeling like I'm invading someones space with all the kids. 

 And the items they have for sale are 

BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE. 

If you're in the area you might want to check it out! 

It's quickly become a favorite place for all of us!

kitchen renovation continued

Hello Friends and Happy New Year!

Baby has no idea what's going on! 

assuming you aren't totally annoyed at all my kitchen renovation posts, I'll share the latest: It's coming along beautifully and I LOVE IT!!  Such a sweet labor of love

Here is the brick back-splash going up.

Jake had some extra brick at the shop, 

("lick 'em, stick 'em" he calls them).

They are real bricks, just cut in half so they aren't so heavy.

He tinted the mortar to be a dark espresso color 

which matches the countertops. 

Here's the beginning and end of the wood floor being laid.

The final board went in 2 weeks ago at 12:50am!!

Just in time for Christmas!

BEAST!  He just kept on going and going, 

I said it's not a big deal if it doesn't get done, but "my tools are out and I'm not getting them all set up again" he said!  And wise he was, it rained and snowed and got fiercely windy the next few days!  

He would bring each board from the garage to the deck and then sand it down out there, then bring it in and lay it.  

Before the stain:

(you can also see some of the new appliances 

and the repainted kitchen cabinets).

During the stain: (english chestnut by minwax) 

After: he coated it with some varnish as well so it has some more shine then this picture indicates.  We had to pack up and spend the day and night elsewhere because it was such a strong smell throughout the house!  We lounged at Grammy's house and played games, spent one night/one day at my parents and spent the next night at our neighbors.  

 It was, as the kids say, "an adventure!"  Our sweet neighbors Ron and Sandy use to own a bed and breakfast so when they heard we had varnished the floors they invited us to stay the night.  "I won't have that baby sleeping in that house" they said. It felt like a mini vacation, (with four kids in a tiny house), but nonetheless, a treat.  They prepared a beautiful breakfast for us the next morning! 

We have so many wonderful souls in our lives!

Thank you to Grammy, Dad & Mom and Ron & Sandy for your kindness and hospitality to us ALL!

It is "livable" at this point, but not organized or completed. 

We are figuring out some last minute pantry space, etc. So until then I'm waiting to get "everything in it's place."  However, I don't need much space to make monster cookies.  In the picture below you can see the new sink and faucet, (she's a beauty) and the new record player, a Christmas gift.....from myself. How obnoxious is that?  And yes, I even wrapped it and put it under the tree.  I use to mock my Mother when she did that same thing and now I do it too!  

Oh, the circle of life!   

"Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true."
~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850

merry christmas

here's our Christmas wish for you:

 we hope you can find some time to play games:

and take some time to dance....

 we pray you will feel Loving Arms near by....

 and warmth to fill you inside....

may you have a place to come home to....

and someone to squeeze you tight....

maybe a little adventure....

and a place for merry and bright.

merry Christmas from our bustling home.....

PHOTO CREDIT: Lazio Images

"There has been only one Christmas~

 the rest are anniversaries."

  ~W.J. Cameron~

the sun set.

today you could find me 
crying into my laundry pile
holding those little pants close
i asked for forgiveness for my earlier complaints.
all this laundry. 
so much blessed laundry. 

the morning took flight as it usually does.
breakfast, teeth brushed, hats and gloves and folders and snacks and backpack and jacket and, oh, don't forget hugs and "i-love-you-have-a-great-day" goodbyes. 
it could have been me, it could have been you. 
our sweet babies. 
no more. 

i didn't want the sun to set tonight.
for all those dads and moms who have just entered hell on earth.
i didn't want the night to fall on this, their darkest day.
the empty pillow.
the unopened christmas presents.
the unending questions.
oh, if my heart even hurts a little, how can they keep 
breathing?

we lie here safe and warm and without a care.
full bellies and christmas lights.
my heart sings songs of praise.
and tonight, not that far from here, 
cries ring out and bodies retch with agony.
kindergartners.

what can i do but cry out for their brokenness?
beg God to somehow come down
and keep them alive for one more day.
to help them do just one more day.

oh come to us, 
abide with us, 
our Lord, 
Emmanuel. 

kitchen renovation continued.

Apologies ahead of time for talking about our kitchen so much,

 but it's big news around here! 

That's what this post is all about,

 so feel free to move along anytime! 

something old~something new. 

sweet old sink that made it's way to our home from 

shepherdstown, west virginia.  

she.is.stunning. 

(and it goes without saying that my husband is so kind to have driven there for her...."I did this just for you" he said)! xoxo. 

and that chair called to me from the aisle at target last week,

 (a STEAL of a deal). 

literally cannot remember the last piece of furniture i bought BRAND NEW! i ran into my sister while i was checking out

 and she gave me a high five  just for the fact that i was 

buying something new!  

and then, here is the conversation that took place between my friend amy and i on facebook later on that day,

 (after posting this pic). 

• 
  
• Amy  um...this is the EXACT chair I JUST GOT! *and just returned  hahaha, good taste huh! hahah:)

  December 5 at 8:38pm · Like · 1
• Janelle then it must be YOURS!! because i bought it at target yesterday. they said it was an online purchase and then someone returned it! that is hilarous! why did you take it back? i came around the corner and there it sat, i just KNEW it had to come home with me. 

  December 5 at 9:02pm · Edited · Like · 2
• Amy I know! Thought it was so cute the colors were just a little off for what I was looking for my loss is your gain!  *and hopefully your "on sale" gain! Hahahha:):)

How funny is that?? I thought it was pretty cool. 

new window!

here is Jake ripping out the tile countertop 

and the old sink!

lookin' good, 

(and the sink/countertops are nice too)!

the beginnings of the countertops

 made from old decking boards!

it's not done yet, but i'm still trying to make it cozy

 in the midst of it all! 

(thank you to my friend ang for the new "J" mug she gave me for my b-day)! 

i put on the first coat of grey the other night, 

so far i really like it! i'm giving myself some time to warm up to it...

and a chance to change my mind, (but as of now, it's just right). 

afterall, painting the walls 

is how this whole idea got started! 

the boys breakin' in our new farmhouse table, (and yes ,that's a Tinkerbell puzzle)! cannot wait to show you this beauty! we found it at an amish furniture consignment shop, 
(who knew there was such a place)!!??

I call this one "sabbath rest" 

because that's the only time that toolbelt is off, (on sundays)!!  

the other side of a kitchen reno:

"A little house, 

a house of my own, 

out of the wind's and rain's way."

 ~Padrak Colum~

The Neighborlies

Earlier this Summer while enjoying a day at the lake I received a call from my dear friend Jeane'. 

She shared bits about this new idea and vision she had.  

It was pieces to a puzzle for which we had no box. 

As the months flowed into one another we met  together

 and GREAT ANTICIPATION began to build. 

It is with JOY and nervous excitement 

that I share with you:

For more information about who we are, 

 please visit Jeane's blog, 

The Coffee Cottage!!  

And if you so desire,

"like" our Facebook page 

and stay updated with us there . 

We really have no idea what we're doing,

 but we're willing to try and to jump in with both feet!!

Thanks for coming along for the ride!!  

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone.  

Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking."

  ~Tim McMahon~