E~Room Re~Do

Though the quality of my photos may not be the best

The E~Room Re~Do is finally complete (Almost)

I took the above photo as we were beginning to clean

The carpet is awful and the walls were a mess

Matthew goes a bit crazy with nails, tacs and screws

I was able to take down this 27" TV

Which will eventually go in my bedroom

(Why is it that the Kids get the newer better stuff?)

Son #2 was a super help when it came to

Patching holes, sanding and painting the walls

 He is also an {E}lectronic Fanatic

He has between 8 and 10 game systems

A lap top, a PC, 2 televisions,

And a host of other {E}lectronic gagets

The photo above is of his walk in closet

Mind you we have a 1180 sq ft home

Not large, but room enough for us

In the closet he now has a table/desk where he keeps

His PC and 1 small TV

 On this wall in his room

He has most of his other game systems

A 32" TV and a stereo

 Though most everything in his room is

Black, Silver and Red

I just could NOT paint the shelves that my husband

Made for Matthew before his passing

This is where Matthew keeps most of his

Horse figurines and his Championship Ribbons

 I talked him into bringing a little grey into the room

Instead of all Red

 One of his favorite books

Some of his 300 or so Horse and Gaming Magazines

It was a fun project and allowed us to spend a

Couple of good quality days together

Next up...

Laundry Room

Considering Projects A Joy,

Cindy

Linking up with these two favorite bloggers

Sometimes Beauty

This past week I joined a group on facebook

Entitled [un]framed

It is a challenge to get outside to

Walk, run, bike or whatever

Just get outside

And then to photograph

The beauty you find during that outside journey

But today I share that

Sometimes Beauty

Is found as you walk INside

Tonight

After a very long day

I walked into my home and found this

Yes

The flowers are beautiful

But the Who and Why behind the flowers

Brought me to my knees in humble gratitude

For they came from a new and young widow

Whom I have never met

But whom I love dearly

Admire Wholly

And have great respect for

Tonight

This is my [un]framed Beauty!! 

This Girlie Needs Advice

This girlie has always considered herself

A rather neat, tidy and organized girl

Everything in my home has a place

And most often all things are in said proper place

That is with one major exception

I cannot for the life of me

Keep my home office clean

My craft table and the left side of my desk

Have become what I lovingly call them

"The Landing Zone"

Whenever something (mostly mail)

Comes into my home without a specific place

It ends up on "The Landing Zone"

And it makes me "NUTS"

It is true that my children already believe I am nuts

So they don't seem to mind much

But truly it does make me nuts

To see all this 'stuff' without homes

What do you do in your home office (or wherever)

That helps to keep the un-housed stuff (mail)

From becoming your nemesis?

Nemesis:   a formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent

I sure would love to hear your input :)

Do You Know Why Women Need Fat?

Well, at least the Title was intriguing!

From time to time I have the opportunity to review a new book through BlogHer book club.  I usually receive a few sentences about the book and its author(s) but not much else.  Until I receive it I never know for sure what I have gotten myself into.  The title of this particular book intrigued me from the beginning so I was excited to give it a read. 

I must admit it was a rough read for me.  If you like facts and figures, statistics and numbers, this is a super book for you, but if you don't, this book just might give you a headache.  Yet, if in the end you feel like eating real butter and frying pancakes in bacon grease, then by all means give it a try.

My mother has been telling all of her children that processed foods and 'health' foods are the ruination of our society and the cause of people becoming overweight.  After reading this book, I will need to tell her she may have been right all along.  I should have listened; I might not be fighting the battle of the bulge myself.

Doctors William D Lassek and Steven J C Gaulin have researched in depth the ins and outs of animal versus vegetable fats, Omega 3's and 6's, and the 'health' food industry in general.  Controversial and surprising answers can be found in their work and words.

I take issue with the anthropological side of this book due to my Christian walk and have questions regarding the comparison of humans to primates but there are many valid and factual truths about weight and the eating habits of Americans found within the pages of this book.  If you would like to be challenged and begin to see health from a different perspective, I suggest you purchase "Why Women Need Fat".

You can join the discussion here

Though I did receive a small compensation for my time and a free copy of this book, the views and opinions regarding this review are mine alone 

Lesson In The Lawn

It has been my desire to write a post for several days

However I have been experiencing a stressful situation

That has caused me to feel physically ill in recent days

So I have not had the energy to sit at my computer

Yet tonight (after my sister made me take a walk with her)

I decided to get up out of my 'easy' chair

And do a little catching up 

After I lost Mark I went into a rather deep depression

I functioned only enough to 'survive'

But did not do anything of substance for many months

The remnants of that season

Began to show vividly around The Place this past summer

The above photo was taken during the late summer

Early fall and is of my backyard lawn

What lawn you say?

Yes, I ignored it for all those months

No water, no trimming, no nurturing, no anything

Death had not only overtaken my heart

But my lawn as well

As I began to breathe and begin to feel again

I decided to plant a winter lawn

We never had winter lawn before

Mark rather disliked the extra work it required

But I wanted needed something green
Something Alive Again

So I mowed, thatched, seeded and fertilized this barren area

Soon, sprouts and sprigs began to pop up all over

Signs of life

Signs of regeneration

Signs of newness

Certainly not much at first

Patchy and thin

Yet, springing up non the less

Eventually more and more patchy areas began coming up

The lawn was becoming thicker and filled in

Each day I would wonder outside just to see the progress

Slow at first but soon it was truly beginning to look like lawn

I look this photo a couple of weeks ago

There are still patchy barren spots

But mostly it has become a beautiful

Green lawn that I definitely enjoy looking at

And my granddaughters have even been enjoying playing outside

The weather has been wonderful

And it is a precious gift of life to watch them play and run on the lawn

What have I learned?

I am just like the lawn

In those months post my husband's passing

All aspects of life within me had died

I was lifeless, depressed, dry, and dead for all intents and purposes

Then one day

God began plowing, planting and tending

I began to feel again

To have hope, peace and even joy

I am still rough around the edges

I continue to have many dry and barren patches

God has much work ahead of Him

There is much tending to still be done in this area of land

But from a distance I'm lookin' fairly well

Thank you for journeying with me friends

I'm considering YOU with Joy,

Cindy

ANEW

ANEW

"In a New or Different Form"

This is the first year in a long time

That the Lord has given me a Word focus

As well as a Picture to go along with it

I took the above photo in July 2011

It was early morning driving home from CA

After we took Mark's remains home to his mom

The Lord spoke to my heart

That is was a new day

A new dawn and a new beginning

Unfortunately

My heart didn't feel very new

In fact

Things got worse for me emotionally

Instead of better

However

With the passage of time

And the first year of grieving behind me

The Lord has refreshed my heart

And spoke again

ANEW

He has not chosen to give me a new heart

A new home, a new talent or a new husband

But He has placed within my heart

The desire to take a fresh look

At the life I already have

To look anew at the gifts and talents

He has blessed me with

To look anew at my relationship with Him

To look anew at all that is within my grasp

He has not told me He is doing a new thing

He has told me to look around

And see things in a New and Fresh way

I do not know what 2012 will hold for me

But I do know that I will walk it

With the Lord by my side

While I am seeing ANEW this life I have been blessed with

Considering ANEW with Joy,

Cindy