August Fields

library list

Today’s library picks! …please print and take this list to your local library 🙂
(looking at the pile above these are listed from top to bottom)
1. Rufus M. by Eleanor Estes
2. Pinky Pye by Eleanor Estes
3. The Middle Moffat by Eleanor Estes
4. Mary Poppins; In The Park by P.L. Travers
5. Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P.L. Travers
6. Mary Poppins Comes Back by P.L Travers
7. The Moffats by Eleanor Estes
8. Boxcar Children; #43 The Mystery On Stage
9. Plays Children Love edited by Coleman A. Jennings and Aurand Harris
10. Billy and Blaze by C.W. Anderson
11. Cat Goes Fiddle-i-fee by Paul Galdone
12. The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone
13. Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban
14. A Birthday for Frances by Russell Hoban
15. Egg Thoughts and Other Frances Songs by Russell Hoban
16. Farmer Palmer’s Wagon Ride by William Steig
17. The Amazing Bone by William Steig
18. Potch & Polly by William Steig
19. A Busy Year by Leo Lionni
20. An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni
21. Swimmy by Leo Lionni
22. Mr. McMouse by Leo Lionni
We are especially excited for #9, Plays Children Love……My oldest (8) was looking for play scripts to act out…..they have been rehearsing ‘Winnie the Pooh’ (one of the scripts included in this book) since we came home from the library!

Cozy Coupe

Hank loves his Cozy Coupe. My sister found it at a garage sale for $5.00! We don’t have a lot of room for “extras” in our garage with 5 children…..but I have no regrets making room for this! It must be the fact that it has a roof and an door that opens that makes it so appealing to little ones. Here he is in ‘Nana’s’ Cozy Coupe…like the custom steering wheel? 🙂 🙂

Thrifty Treasures Galore!!!

Probably one of the best weeks of thrifting I’ve had in a long time! 🙂 Real quick, first is another tray that I found at goodwill for $1.00. I will make this a magnet board like THESE for my “craft room to be” or the school room.
Now…..I went to an estate sale…went straight to the garage (where no one else ever goes) and looked in the corner and saw this beauty (the chair on the right) covered in cobwebs and junk. The sweet girl running the sale said, “oh THAT thing…just take it”.

“Will do honey.” I LOVE the way it sits lower to the ground and is nice and spacious…at least two little ones could snuggle in there!


The other chair was given to me too and the drawer goes to a desk that I purchased for $20.00. It is going to be my crafting desk…I’m super pumped about that!….but back to the cutest chair ever makeover……
The kids and I washed and scrubbed this down. Then I sanded the thick painted spots….and sprayed a little primer on it.

At this point I began to waiver away from my choices of ‘black’ or ‘heirloom white’ and started to think like a crazy happy mom and decided on THIS!


It is so happy and cute in my office slash “soon-to-be craft room” corner. And I think my little pillow looks right at home! Remember it?…..take a look here. My kids love our happy chair already!

Edited to add the color paint i used for the chair:
Rust-oleum Painter’s Touch in Satin Aqua
I sealed it, using a foam brush, with:
Minwax Water Based Polycrylic Protective Finish in Clear Satin


Now on to the desk! I found this in the basement of the estate sale (the other place no one goes). It was in the unfinished area piled high with uhlotuhjunk…… I don’t have a great before pic…but you saw the drawer and here it is already sanded a bit.

Sanded and sprayed with primer….


Went with a fave…Rustoleum’s “heirloom white” ….distressed and poly sealed….

knobs will be coming tomorrow after a quick stop at Hobby Lobby….they’ll be 1/2 off. This desk is so quaint and is the perfect size for my sewing machine and craft stuff. I will be working on this area and hope to keep the updates coming! 🙂

Join Rhoda over at Southern Hospitality for LOTS of fun posts on thrifting!! 🙂

Tin Tray Magnet Boards


I saw this idea in…I think Country Living. Super easy! 🙂
I found two cute tin serving trays at a local antique shop. Wiped them down, and used these mounting strips from 3M to hang them on the wall


and Wa…La!!! Perfect by the back door for shopping lists, reminders, mail, love notes etc. 🙂

Father’s Day Ideas!


Father’s day is quickly approaching and I want more than ever to honor the man that is the father to our children.

Most importantly he loves the Lord and helps to lead our children closer to HIM! He works so so hard everyday so that I can stay home and teach the children. He comes home and loves me and the kids in a way that makes me fall in love all over with him!

I’ve been scouring ideas to be able to show honor to him this year…without spending a fortune. (isn’t that always the fun part?)

First. We made a custom card from shutterfly for just over $1.00. That promo is over now but they still have lots of cute ideas for dad!

Second: I’m going to interview each child and make a little booklet. It will include questions like: What do you like to play with daddy? What is daddy’s favorite sport? What gifts has God blessed daddy with? What does daddy do that makes you laugh? etc.

Third: If we have time I want to do all three of these ideas!…Thanks Martha Stewart 🙂 So stinkin cute……our daddy is a BIG time reader, so this bookmark craft is perfect.

This little pad of paper is adorable and great for the little ones to get involved in making 🙂

and finally this “Date With Daddy” gift! This could go in so many directions …..I see it being from all the children and enclosing a gift card for our favorite ice cream place to go to as a family 🙂


What a blessing it is to have such a wonderful daddy and we certainly thank our heavenly Father most of all for the blessings HE has bestowed upon us!