Be a Kid Again

Do you remember the jingle, 

"I'm a Big Kid Now?"

Was it Huggies Pull-ups?

Every kid wants to grow up

and be a "big kid."

As a "big" kid,

we want to be a "little" kid again.

I loved to climb trees when I was a kid.

I liked to play in the rain,

 walk in the puddles,

and feel the squish of dirt mixed with rain between my toes.

Did anybody else?

I made mud pies and had tea parties!

I played mommy!

It's all I ever wanted to be.

This is my doll baby now!

I rode my bike to town 

and bought a bag of "penny" candy for 10 cents.

Yes, I had a green bike,

a hand-me-down from my brother.

I played croquet and backyard baseball

with the neighborhood boys. 

My big boy likes trains (Thomas), planes (Dusty) and cars (Lightning McQueen).

He likes to climb trees too!

If I were a  kid again, 

I'd climb a tree.

walk in the rain, splash in the puddles, 

and feel the mud between my toes.

If I were a kid again, 

I'd ride a bike to town, 

buy a coke and fill it with peanuts.

I'd eat candy with no worry about

calories or diabetes. 

If I were a kid again, I'd 

play a game of baseball in the backyard

jump on a pogo stick,

 or hop on a bouncy ball.

If I were a kid again, 

I'd play with dolls for as many years as I'd like

with no thought of what the other girls would say.

I'm sure some of this I will do with 

my babies.

So, what am I waiting for?

I think I'll dance in the rain and splash in the puddles. 

Care to join me?

Be a Kid Again, 

Bonnie:))))

No More Pain

Tomorrow we celebrate the Home-going

 of my sweet lady.

 I called her, Sweet Lady because 

there's no better way to describe her.

She was as sweet as sugar. 

She always kissed me when I walked in the door.

She expressed her love and appreciation freely,

said, "I love you," often.

There are givers and there are takers.

Yesterday, I heard more than one person say, 

"Mrs. Martha was a giver."

She kept cakes and pies in the freezer

to give away.

Today, I enjoyed a slice of one of her pies.

Mr. John, her husband, brought home a 

whole country-cured ham one day.

It wasn't a whole ham for very long.

Every time there was a need,

Mrs. Martha would cut off some ham, 

make some biscuits, and give them away.

One day, Mr. John got an inkling for some cured ham.

He said, "Martha, I think I want you to fry me some

 of that ham I bought awhile back."

She sheepishly brought out what was left.

Her daughter said, 

"I wish you could have seen the look on his face."

Mr. John liked to ride horses.

Mrs. Martha preferred the buggy

so he would take her riding.

The family rode motorcycles together.

Of course, she preferred the two-seater.

He drove, she rode.

She worked at the local drug store

during the soda fountain days. 

She enjoyed working and making the children

coke floats and cherry sodas. 

She was a homemaker

who was purely devoted to her husband 

and her children and they were

devoted to her. 

Mr. John passed away a few years ago.

She told me many times, 

"You know I can feel him right here beside me.

There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of him."

Several times, over the past couple of weeks,

I saw her look up, reach up and smile.

Maybe she had a glimpse of what was waiting

for her on the other side.

What I remember most about Mrs. Martha is her smile.  

Even when she was the closest to death, she smiled.  

Even with her body writhing in pain, she still smiled.

During the final days of her life,
with a cracked voice I would sing,
she would smile.
I would read the Bible,
she would smile.

She loved the Lord, her family, her church,
all people, all children, young and old.

She knew pain down here.

Where she is at, there is no more night,

no more tears, no more pain, 

no more crying again.

Thank you, Mrs. Martha for making an impact on my life.

  

Linda and Deb's Linky Party

http://justsimplylinda.blogspot.com/

Okay, Linda, I'm joining you and Deb.  I kinda like this one even though I don't usually do the linky parties.  This looked like fun!

Aprons - Y/N? If yes, what does your favorite look like? Goodness no.  I like them.  At one time I collected them, but wear them??? Too much fat around the middle.

See I told you!

Baking - Favorite thing to bake? I bake cookies brought from the freezer section. You know, the little squares ones.  I'm just not Susie-Homemaker, for sure!

Clothesline - Y/N? No, I had one growing up and when my first born was small.  I don't like how everything feels stiff when dry.  

Donuts - Have you ever made them? Actually, I have.  I made from frozen canned biscuits, cut hole in the middle with a lid, deep fried and coated with powdered sugar.  Did the same to the holes:)

Everyday - One homemaking thing you do everyday? Clean off the kitchen table.  I hate a cluttered table. 

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freeze? What do I need with a freezer.  My frig isn't even full.  I buy one meal at a time.

Garbage Disposal - Y/N? I have never had one.

Handbook -What is your favorite homemaking resource? It used to be my mama.  I miss her so!  Now, it's google.

Ironing - Love it or hate it? HATE, HATE, HATE IT! Did all of it as a child.  No more!

Junk drawer - Y/N - Where is it? The question should have been "How many?" Yes, ONE IN EVERY ROOM.

Kitchen - Color and decorating scheme? Blue and White.  I wanted a beach cottage kitchen.

Love - What is your favorite part of homemaking? Raising my children.  I loved being a mommy.  It's all I wanted to be. 

This is the only photo of my kids when they were small that is on my hard drive. They were 10 and 7.  

Mop - Y/N-Yes.  Mr. H did it before he got a herniated disc.  Now it's me unless I hire my niece for $5.  

Nylons - Wash by hand or in washing machine? Nylons? Too hot for those in Central Georgia. 

Oven - Do you use the window to check on things or do you open the door? The door. 

Pizza - What do you put on yours? I like specialty pizzas.  I love spinach fettuccine pizza and chicken Alfreda and mushroom. YUM!

Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Pray, Read, and Nap

Recipe Card Box - Y/N- I have my mama's. 

Style of house-Ranch style, eclectic style. Of course, the shabby chic is my favorite room.

Tablecloth and napkins - Y/N- Table cloth, but nothing when we eat.  We don't have guests.  Our home is so small that we usually eat in the den/living room. This is for-display-only photo.

Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland?- YIKES!  Afraid to look!

Vacuum - How many times per week? Once

Wash - How many loads per week? Probably two per day.  

X's - Do you make a daily to do list and check it off as you do things? Sometimes.  I feel better when I do.

Yard - Y/N Who does What? Mr. H.  I hate to sweat! No, I'm not a prissy girl.  Just hate the heat.

ZZZ - What is the last homemaking task you do before you go to bed? Declutter the den.

Light Reveals Authentic Milk Glass

This was the start of 

my collection of milkglass.

My baby girl and her husband 

gave me this set for Christmas 

a few years ago.

My love affair with milkglass began 

in a little cottage called 

The White Rabbit.

It is a small cottage in my small town

located on the outskirts of the county

and almost hidden from view.

Mrs. Perry's favorite collection was milkglass and

she shared some of her knowledge with me. 

Milkglass is as diverse as the different opinions 

about it's originality.

Some experts claim that milkglass is not authentic

unless it is opaque while some disagree.

Small lights ran through the shelves

over, under and inside the white pieces
in the small cottage.

The light revealed the blueish tint of the glass.

Her claim was that "real" milkglass has a blueish 

or pinkish hue when held to the light.

Can you see the blue tint around the laced edge?

When held to the light, it is almost transparent.

I bid and won the square bowl on Ebay. 

I didn't really read the measurements. 

I bought it for $4 and thought I was 

getting a 3 or 4 inch bowl.

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened 

the box to find a nice 7-8 inch bowl.

At the time it was valued at $165.

Now completed listings on Ebay are around $65.

No matter the monetary value, 

it makes me smile. 

This makes it valuable to me. 

Most pieces of the milk glass that I own 

look opaque, but when held to the light

it presents with a translucent blue hue.

Light is amazing. 

Light reveals what is real and what is not.

"For no one can lay any foundation other than

the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

If any man builds on this foundation using 

gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 

his work will be shown for what it is

because the Day will bring it to light."

1 Corinthians 3:11-13

On the Day, that which is hidden in darkness

will be exposed by the LIGHT.

A Chippy, White Mirror

I bought the first mirror today 

for my mirror collage. 

It's very old, the glass is loose and 

new wire needs to be added for hanging.

Although you can't tell here, 

the mirror is beveled

and the chippy is just right. 

I can't hang it yet until it is repaired 

and Callie is getting too close for comfort!

Uh uh, no missy prissy !

The Nashville Flea Market is today.

I asked my kids to be on the lookout

for more mirrors.

Hope you are having a happy weekend.

Bonnie:)

Bedroom: Step One

On my summer To-Do List 

is to re-do one of the bedrooms,

to make it white and bright.

I'm still working on the gray and red.

Still to find a lamp and a rug.

Today I painted the chest-of-drawers.

The walls look blue but they

are actually a very light gray, almost white. 

I tried an electric sprayer and I didn't like it at all.

I had to sand some spots and repaint with a brush.

All in all, I like the way it turned out. 

I got this vintage bedspread on Ebay.

It is very lightweight which I like

and so does Mr. H.

This is the fringe around the bottom. 

It needs a good starching and ironing.

Does anyone hate to iron as much as I?

I'm looking for mirrors to put over the chest. 

This is a Pinterest-find.

Yard Sales tomorrow!

Bonnie:)

A Mid-Life Moment???

This time last week I was in Nashville. 

Tonight I'm somewhat melancholy for many reasons, 

some of which I can not express. 

I've never believed much in 

what people call "A mid-life crisis."

I mean, who really knows when mid-life is?

However, I'm beginning to understand more 

what that means, at least for me. 

All that once felt new, 

is beginning to feel old. 

That's okay when we're talking about old scales, old tins, 

old crates and old boxes.

I love the old, repurposed, cleaned, dusted, 

painted and usable again.

We work so hard to make the old look new, 

but why the new look old?

We do that, don't we?

I know, I do.

Sometimes, I honestly can't tell which is which.

Is this really old or new?

On the closest observation, I can't see what is the real thing

and what is not. 

Do you find it easy to see what is truly hidden

behind the gloss and shine?

Now days, I look closer at other women.

How old is she?

I know I'm rambling.

Just feeling like I need a do-over.

I look around and see women who are older than I. 

Through my eyes they look flawless, without lines, 

tucked, trimmed and toned. 

And, I feel weather-worn, sun-aged, and saggy.

So many products out three to add flavor. 

We can choose

hot or mild

sweet or sour.

Some women are called HOT!

Some of are sweet!

Some of us are neither.

At least that's how I feel today.

Sometimes I feel like I've been grounded, pounded, 

and poured-

into a mold that others want for me, 

or into a pair of pants that no longer fit

-or both.

Am I having a mid-life moment?

Granny would say, grab that apron over 

there and let's get to work.

I honestly believe that age is an attitude.

I feel 35, in my head, that is. 

Why do I look 64 and in my body feel 74???

while I am almost 54???

I need to grab an apron and get to work,

lose 50 pounds, of which 20 of that 

I carry on my shoulders.

Need to lose some of this weight-

emotional and physical.

The above photos were taken 

at Marche Artisan Foods

where we had Saturday brunch.

I had a veggie quiche

and yummy french toast. 

Yes, both!

It's been a tough week!

Maybe I'll feel and look younger in the morning.

Have a good weekend,

Bonnie

Cora's Bedroom

Cora Joy

has brought us pure joy.

I spent the weekend smooching on

and snuggling with our little angel.

I honestly thought I had blogged 

her bedroom, but I couldn't find

where I had. 

I love all the design ideas 

that I learn from my children.

Knowing how crazy I am about 

shabby and chippy, 

I just had to show the mirror first. 

The natural patina on the frame and the mirror

make my heart sing. 

This is aging to perfection and PINK!

  A close up view of the mirror, 

shows the crocheted hearts banner.

PINK!

Here you can see a larger reflection of the room.

This is new, but resembles the vintage dotted chenille 

that was so popular in the 50's.

I love it! 

It covered the changing table.

PINK!

Christina covered the embroidery looms 

with fabrics to tie together the pink and the yellow.

She covered her name with the same fabric, and

used some of the fabric to create framed art.

Go PINK!

The sweet bedding was owls and birdies. 

Christina is a big Harry Potter fan

and so is Con-Con.

I just love to hear him say, 

"Hawwy Potta,"

This was hand-made, 

and so was this one

monogrammed with Cora's sweet name.

A close up view of the chenille and printed fabric. 

Cutie-patootie!

The C was hand-made by Cora's mommy.  

Please pardon the blur, but I couldn't not 

show you the lamp.  I really like it!

I especially like her sweet bows and ribbons. 

Already a girlie-girl.  

Her mom was a soccer girl, a basketball player, 

and a cheerleader. 

So she can be both!

The room is darling, 

but this little girl is the cutest darling of all. 

Our Little Cora-bug is a sweetie for sure!

There sure is enough love in Bonbon's heart 

for more! It only gets bigger and bigger.

Bonbon:)))