Hidden gems

Scott and I have been on the lookout for a dining table. Can I just admit here that I am a very picky shopper. I just don't like to settle. I want to be excited about my find! We really didn't want to buy new. We wanted old and with some character. After checking out every antique mall and store we could, we discovered that buying tables from antique malls are EXPENSIVE. I mean seriously??? We also checked out Craig's list...nope.

Finally, with the help of our wonderful family, we came across this old beauty at an estate sale on River Ridge last weekend. It came from a 5000 sq ft house in Harrisburg and is from the depression era (VERY old). Could it have more character? I don't think so! It came with SIX chairs, one of them an armed chair and two leaves (so it gets much bigger than in this picture, we just have to keep it this small for now). I definitely got the excited feeling when I saw it hidden under a bunch of old cups and plates in the dining room.:) And we got a GREAT deal on it!

 Isn't it pretty?! I just had to share. Now, what to do with it? Should we refinish it, do an antique white look or leave it alone?? Def recovering the chairs...

We also found this adorable little chair at the same estate sale. Eleanor fell in love and we couldn't say no. Wouldn't it be cute painted white??:)

Another hidden gem (to me anyways) has been this daily devotional Jesus Calling...just absolutely loving it...and totally manageable for mothers with kids. If you don't have it, go buy it now!

Lastly I leave you with the first and quite possible the last belly pic from this pregnancy. I feel so much bigger but doesn't my hubby do a good job of taking the picture at the right angle hah! he's learned by now;) 21 weeks and counting. And starting to get used to the idea of having a boy. This is going to be fun! I have already been looking at cute little outfits and nursery stuff online:)

Perfect fall days...

include...

playing A LOT in our tent...

Playing at the park...going "wee" (playing on the swings)

Celebrating Mimi's birthday...

And just being sweet and cute;)...

Ohhh and did I mention we are having a little BOY?!! We are so excited:) We feel blessed get to experience having a girl and now a boy!

Where does the time go???

Eleanor dressed up as a Blue Bird this year...keeping Scott's side of the family's tradition alive. His sister wore it, and his two girl cousins wore it as well...many years ago. We had a fun night!!  Eleanor especially loved the candy;)

Halloween

Don't worry, I'm going to try not to bash the holiday. But, I do feel like I need to say my peace. Growing up, our family's celebration of halloween consisted of passing out the candy with a spiritual tract(salvation booklet) in a plastic baggy. We would all sit at the table and put together the candy/tract bags and then that night we would take turns passing them out. Our goal as a family was to witness to the other kids who might show up at our door. Now I'm not saying that was the perfect or "right" way to do things that is just how we did it. So when we had Eleanor, I had to really think about what we were going to do.

I don't know if you have noticed the change, but Halloween has become a HUGE holiday compared to when I was little. And maybe partly because I lived in a home that didn't fully participate. Today as I was riding up the elevator to work, a guy I was with said "happy Halloween! It's my favorite holiday!" and to be honest it bothered me. I have decided that I don't have a problem letting my child dress up and taking her trick or treating. But I do have a problem with the glorification of Satan, witches, ghosts, blood, and anything representing evil. There I said it.:) Jesus came to this world to save us from all that!

Don't get me wrong, Eleanor will be dressing up and hitting the pavement tonight, and there are a lot of fun, harmless things that are associated with Halloween. But I want Eleanor to grow up knowing that there is also a dark side to Halloween of which I don't want her to ever become "comfortable" with.


-- Posted from my iPhone