For today.

Life is hard.
Right now we know several families going through unbelievable trials and trauma.
It's the kind of stuff that puts everything into perspective in an instant.
This picture is the path we walk as a family.
It is beautiful, yet has plenty of snarly roots kicking up in the ground-that can trip us.
Life is hard.
You truly never know what today or tomorrow will bring...a snarly root...or worse.

God is good.
He is our comforter.
He hears the cry of the hurting.
He brings peace to the brokenhearted.
He is the great physician.
God is good.
He knows the path set before us.
He knows each and every snarly root, twist and turn.
He is SOVEREIGN.
He loves his children.

I am praying.
For those whose lives have taken a forever turn.
For those who don't have answers to their whys.
For those who cannot pray for themselves.
I am praying.

"Limitation Lamp"...white and distressed!

We (my husband and I) worked on a project today! I had been begging for wanting the large Pottery barn lamp that looks like this one above but is a pole lamp. Since I didn't want to spend the 150.00 to buy it...I had to get creative! This lamp above was an inexpensive brown lamp. I painted it my favorite color (if you want to call it a color)...cottage white. Then I distressed it.

Next we went to home depot and bought a square fence end post. Cut it to size and attached it to the table lamp with these.....

L brackets are my friend...I use them all the time for projects! Then we cut squares for the base and attached them as well. Once it was together I painted it, distressed it and painted this address on it...4 Mayberry Dr.

4...for the 4 people in my fam....Mayberry because it is our families favorite song...by our favorite artist...Rascal Flatts...it is the song we sing blasting in the car...windows down...with ice cream cones in hand...the kiddos know every word!

Once the address was on there I sanded some more with my favorite Black and Decker "mouse" sander. Almost ready to turn on and use!

Here she is! I LOVE her. She cost me a total of $20.00.

Today I happened to read Rie's blog Home and Harmony ...

I love her blog and today's post was...

 so fitting with our lamp!

It is entitled Inspirational Limitations!

I had a price "limit" and because I did... I was forced to use my creativity...and in the midst had a great sweet day with my man! Our kiddos are so excited about the new lamp, knowing it has a special family meaning.

Rie is right...out of limitations can come something so beautiful!

All is well...

What do you see when you look at this picture? I see beautiful wood that tells a story. A farm that has gone above and beyond it's duty to serve the people that once inhabited it. It is a shell of the things that make a house a home and a family historic.

I would love to salvage everything from these barns. Oh the story those pieces would tell.

As you know one of my favorite things in my house is the old door that hangs above my
family room couch. It reminded me of the door that led to my Grandmothers farmhouse. You know life has been good to you when you want to collect things that remind you of what has been. God has so blessed me
with wonderful family and friends...I love the things around me to remind me of that!

My mom grew up with 3,000 of these...on the Holland Poultry Farm. I always wanted a piece of that old barn. I have always loved the stories...and loved the people telling them. Well I got my piece of that old farm...and it is one of my very treasured things in my house!

No not the eggs:)  The piece of wood that hangs on the wall is the old cover for the well that was on the farm. It is really heavy...but I had to add the plate to it...I love how it looks and what it reminds me of. The people, the place, and that all has been "well" in my life. Blessed that there are no empty barns...but pieces scattered throughout the family of the place where so many stories, dreams and lives began.

It makes our house a home and our family historic.

What do you have that reminds you that all is well in your life?

Love and wellness, Tracey

All white...and dirt.

I don't know if my house will ever be all white...

for several reasons...

2 children

1 husband

1 cat

1 dog

But it sure is pretty to look at!

All photos from BH&G

I am one of those moms that lets my kiddos eat breakfast on the couch on lazy mornings.

I let my dog on the couch (not sure how I would stop her even if I tried...and I have tried).

We have pizza picnics on the floor, snacks on couches during movies and lots of

little feet all over...not always clean feet.

No...as pretty as it is...I will stick with brown couches.

So worth it!

So for now girls who decorate with all white...please keep it up so I can oooh and ahhhh!

As for me I will keep mopping, spraying down, picking up, loving it...most days...and dreaming of all white!

Love and dirt, Tracey

Flea Market inspiration from BH&G.

Could not help but grab the new BH&G magazine "Flea Markets 100 ideas".

Since I have been in blog world I have not bought magazines as much...but it was staring at me...

I believe it called my name...I figured it was calling your name too...so here are

a few pictures from it! Great inspiration!

I have several of these wire baskets...but none this big...on the list though!

I love this refrigerator! Chalkboard, black and white photos and especially

the twine on the handles! Who ever said you can't put a filing cabinet in your kitchen!

Simple...and all flea market finds!

Going to flip again through this magazine...dream about flea market finds...

and finish painting the 2 new lamps I got...that are getting the

creamy white, antiqued treatment!

Love and flea market dreams! Tracey

Random Gratefullness!

I am so grateful...

for who God has given...

and for who...

they are becoming.

Yes and even this one...but only because one ear is always up and the other down.

She is lucky she is cute!

Thankyou God for entrusting me!

Love and gratefulness, Tracey

Under Construction...

Under Construction.

I have not blogged a lot lately.

Our house feels like it is under construction.

School is almost out 3 weeks and counting...

We (the handsome man above and I) noticed that our kiddos were thinking school had already ended...

We are comitted to a few things we have learned through our life together.

One of those things is how important it is to finish strong.

There is character in finishing strong and not merely walking across the line...

So...we have been under conINSTRUCTION here...teaching, leading, cheering on...

Under Construction

I also am working on getting my ETSY shop up and running.

Now that is true "construction".

I design, my husband constructs, I paint and finish...

true teamwork at its best, and we are loving it!

Can't give you a date yet...just know we are working on...finishing strong!

Under Construction

My heart and my soul is always being worked on.

I am in a good season, and am so grateful for it.

A season of learning and growing... not because I am hurting or in pain...just because I am listening.

Cleaning out what needs to be cleaned, holding onto what needs to be held...

Building what needs to be built...and thanking Jesus for the blueprints and genius design!

Constructive Construction.

Praying for you today!

Love under construction, Tracey

My Mom...

                       

              My mother Judy as a child on the Holland Poultry Farm where she grew up in New York...

   This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom!

                                      

             I truly have the best mom.

         I have been told that so many times in my life by friends through my 3_ years of life!

 My response is always...."I know, she really is". I seriously cannot even tell you how many times I have been told that! Let me take this day to share a few reasons why! My mom is the most loving person I know...She is loving in a strong, intentional, faithful, sacrificial and generous kind of way. She is one of those moms who was always available (and still is) for any of her children...grandchildren....and other people's children for that matter. Our house was "that" house on the block growing up. My mom sacrificed all that she may have wanted to do or be for the sake of all of those around her...in the meantime she became the envy of every kid I knew and the aspiration of every mother. She did not do all that she did for affirmation, or wealth, or even recognition she did it because she truly loves us. I cannot talk about my mom without talking about her gift of hospitality. I truly have never met any other person who has the gift quite like her. She has made so many dinners, made so many beds, cleaned so many toilets all in the name of hosting people in her home and making them feel loved. Not only was there dinner... it is the best you will find anywhere and enough for second and thirds...not only is the bed made, but made beautifully...and you guessed it sparkling clean house. One of my favorite things about my mom is that she has always introduced her friends to each other...she is generous with people in every way. Some of her dear friends are now best friends because she introduced them. It is untold the numbers of lives she has touched...and I get to call her mom. Most of all-my mom has pointed me to Jesus. I remember the very day she knelt beside my bed as I asked Jesus to come into my heart.. I have no excuses...I recognize that she has given me all I need to thrive in this world...I can only pray that I am passing down the same love! I know she feels like she is getting older and cannot "do" all that she has "done" but she will always "be" exactly who she is...

my mom!

True Nourishment...

Today I was at a mothers day tea with M's kindergarten class.

The teacher was so amazing and prepared an amazing morning for us.

We waited at the door and one by one each student came to get their mom and held their hand

guiding us to our seat. Once seated we were treated to several mother's day songs.

 On our table was a book that each child made. Inside there were several questions

about what makes us special as moms. We (the moms) were amazed at the common answer to one of the questions. What is the most important thing about your mom... (and then there is a blank for the child to fill in). Almost every child said something like, "she feeds me" or "she cooks for me" or "she does the grocery shopping for our family"....hmmm

Nourishment.

Life giving and sustaining.

At our core we need to be nourished to survive...

to thrive...

For the past three weeks I have changed my eating habits drastically.

I went from eating whatever-whenever to...

Whole Grains

Vegetables

Fruit

Nuts

Beans

Did I mention Vegetables?

Thank God I don't have to eat worms like these cute baby birds!

Did I mention Vegetables?

I am learning what it means to be nourished.

What I "think" I need and "want"...

to true nourishment...what my body needs and wants.

"You are my strength when I am weak you are the treasure that I seek...you are my all in all...

When I fall down you pick me up, when I am dry you fill my cup,

Jesus Lamb of God worthy is your name."

True nourishment comes from one place...the love of Jesus.

Think about it...the love you have for your child...you will do whatever-whenever to make sure they are nourished (even if it does mean going back to the store yet another time...cooking yet another meal)...

It is simply what we do out of our love.

Jesus simply loves us, and we will always find what we need exactly when we need it-in Him.

He is my true nourishment.

I survive and thrive simply because of His love for me.

As I read the rest of the booklet from M I also learned that she

"loves me more than her puppy"... and that my "smile is prettier than flowers"...and that her favorite thing I do

is "kiss her each night before bed"...

Nourished...truly!

Love and Vegetables, Tracey

Just a few bedrooms...

I love white bedrooms...with punches of color! This is so typical of what

you might see in the cottages on the cape.

Soft toned washed woods...so soothing!

Love this canopy...it is all you need to literally dress the room.

Refreshing...light...bright...I think the mirrors really add just enough sparkle.

Working on my daughters room, adding finishing touches this week.

Will post as soon as it is done...

Have a great day! Take a nap today!

Love-Tracey

Cottage dreaming...

Just doing a little dreaming....!

(While home for the day with a sick little one:(

Ever look at a picture and think...humm...what would I add ?

Yeah...me too...

So glad you asked....

Other than myself sitting in an old white chair...drinking a cherry limeade...watching the whales jump in the distance...I would add: White flower boxes with lots of white flowers, blue hydrangea bushes along the sides of the house, a big old weathered cut out of a whale on the side of the house, and a great white weathered mailbox attached to the house on the front porch with an old welcome sign that looks like it is as old as the sea!

What do you think?

What would you add?

Love and cottages, Tracey