Making a House Our Home Part 2

When we pulled into our driveway three weeks ago, the mile high grass called out with, “Hey, it’s obvious no one lives here” screams from our front, ahem, "lawn".  Two things are necessary to note here: 

1) Yes, we do have grass.  A good amount of it, actually.  With any grass in the desert, comes a sprinkler system.  We are some high class folks now, I tell ya.  High.class.  We've never had a sprinkler system before.  Fancy.  With that, there is now hope that I will not have the grass fried to a crisp by August.  

2) We needed a new lawn mower.  Assuming that we would have rocks and dirt to maintain once moved, our lawnmowers got new homes before we left Tennessee.  So, Brian took himself right on down to Ace Hardware and picked up this machine full of whopping horse power and torque…

Oh, yeah, baby...seeing it in full throttle is mucho fun!  Brian doesn't think that is funny.

He was rather, um, shall I say, ecstatic about his new toy.  He was also a little too eager to start training Garrison on its maneuverability.  GL happily gave that mower a test run across our backyard.  The entertainment value of this contraption will surely wear out in a week.  I’ll give it two.

I felt like I was going to need two weeks to complete the gargantuan task of traveling laundry.  Man, it stunk. Musty.  Sweaty.  Chlorine filled.  I managed to get it washed and folded in a few days.  Unfortunately, it is still not all put away and decorates the hallway and bedrooms like Kirkland's never could!

While we are on the subject of smells, let’s take a moment to discuss Keen feet, shall we?  I love Keens for all my boys.  The big one included.  They are versatile.  They go in water, mud, you name it.  They are perfect for little boy adventures.  BUT, my nose hairs synge when they take those bad boys off.  I’ve dubbed that stank as “Keen Feet.”  I’ll recommend these shoes till the cows come home (Warner’s were hand-me-downs from Brody, who got them from his cousin, Chase...so they last FOREVER), but proceed with caution…and a clothes pin for your nose.

Can we be real here?  I mean, really real?  If not, do not look any further.  The following pictures of chaos may be just too much to contend with...

This is AFTER I have spent HOURS in this room!  What is wrong with me?!  I need therapy.  On a happy note, Brian finally found the bunk bed hardware in the LAST box that he opened in the garage.  Forget the instructions...we battled it out and figured out how to put that bad boy back together.  No worries, it hasn't fallen yet.  

The boys shoes are like their clothes, scattered all over the upstairs.  Our here and now focus has been to get the downstairs family living areas in order...the temperature is MUCH cooler down there.  Finding a kitchen table and a rug to put on top of the carpeted dining area are majors on our list.  Have you seen my piglets children eat?  If so, you know the need for a rug over rented carpet.  We galavanted around town to meet the desires of my very frugal heart, in which we came home with neither.  

Also in the I’m-not-spending-a-lot-of-money search was a patio dining set.  Every morning and evening has been spent out there in the shade with a perfect breeze.  Our beach chairs are standing in as substitute chaise lounges and the boys find much novelty eating their breakfast picnic style.  I imagine that school lessons will be mastered on that same patio.  Therefore, a good "bargain of all bargains" find is on my list.

Right now, my favorite room is the living room.  It is 90% finished.  Why do I have a feeling that the other 10% won't ever be accomplished?  Maybe because I have cleaned up toys, shoes, books, and other randomness for days that get scattered about because people live here.  S.O.S to all mamas out there that keep their living areas guest ready at all times.  Help a sister out.  How on earth do you do it?  

It no longer looks like this.  Throw in toys, clothes, shoes, snot rags...  Can you see them?
Oh, yes, yes, there you go!

This adorableness has a front and center spot on our bookcase...  

Gifted to me by my beyond precious friend, Anne, I love the little taste of Tennessee every time my eye catches its cuteness.  

In the middle of all of this moving in and making a house a home shenanigans, I am reminded of His peace.  Random phone calls, texts, and cards in the mail make the chaos sweeter.  They remind me of the love of people that surround us from afar and their belief in the Great Commission.  

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.