The Long Weekend

Happy Labor Day weekend to you all! Hopefully you have something fun, or, at the very least, relaxing planned. We started our day out with hot pancakes around the breakfast table - full of chit chat with our children. Throw in some hot coffee sprinkled with cinnamon... dynamite start to the day!

I don't want to sound complainy, and I know the bitter cold winter days will be here before too long {grin}. But, it's still horribly hot here. The children and I have spent most of our days indoors and when we do try to go outside - it's just uncomfortable. Last night we went to the 1st of the season football game for one of our local high schools - we have a teen in the band, one a cheerleader and a few other who we thought might just be hanging around. While it was great to support them and share a smile, I was melting, literally. I felt bad for the guys wearing helmets and pads :/ The bleachers registered a toasty 100 even after dark. Seriously!?

Anywhoo, during this long weekend I have great plans of enjoying the "cooler" temps...in the 80's and spending time with my family. Hubs is preaching Sunday and I always enjoy what he brings to the stage. :)

We have about 4 more weeks until we can move into our new home. I will remain as positive as I can on that topic! So in the meantime the girls and I have been discovering our new-temporary city and finding all sorts of fun and FREE things to do. This week we ventured down to the local library and I was blown away with how age appropriate it was! Aside from the anticipated books and comfy reading pillows there were texture walls, manipulative boards {zippers, chains, etc}, a puppet booth and the usual kids computer. My girls were in kid glory and it gave me a lot of time to browse the cookbook, DIY, and crafty aisles. I came home with these two gems -

Can you tell what's on my mind? Good old fashioned, sit down, family dinners :) I have been pouring through Amish cookbooks most of the summer - and found this Mennonite one this week. It's a little different and I have to admit I laughed when one of her main ingredients was, "MSG". I didn't even know you could buy MSG! But this cookbook has awesome ideas, in detail, and I am so enjoying it! This momma is weary of frozen pizzas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and all things "easy". Although, I am thankful for the calm of it at the same time. Weird.

Speaking of sit down dinners. I thought I would share a few more pics of our new home, as I'm kind of wanting to see it again anyway. :)
This is a view of the kitchen - I like how simple it is! And I have BIG plans for it. {including not having a green counter} I'm really, really, excited about the window overlooking the deck/back yard. I've never had a space where the kids could play outside alone for even a minute! I don't plan on putting them out there alone all the time - but, it'll be nice to know I can if I need to for a second or so. :)

 

And, I'm excited for our dining room which leads out to the deck. 

I really like the parquet floors! And, I even like the gray paint! Normally I'm a dark and nature-y colored girl...but, this might just stay gray. :) 

We have an old and kinda shabby brown table and chairs that I found at Salvation Army a few years ago. And I'm debating doing this to it - because I love it! The dark top and creamy colored legs are so nice..and I wouldn't need to paint all my chairs.

 

Here's another pic with the same idea. Seems pretty easy, right?

 

Next, the basement. Partially finished and just exactly the extra room that we'll need! This is the big room down there. This place will be the play room and a guest room when need be. I love the windows and  I think I remember a closet just around that left corner.

What a blessing it will be to have a place to do our preschool and put all our toys :) Ah, I'm so eager to get in! 

Well, enjoy your long weekend whatever it is you choose to do! I'm going in for another cup of coffee :)