We have BARN LIGHTS...

I have been MOST excited about getting our new barn lights put up on the house.  And yesterday I came home to a nice surprise.  All in all - we have 12 of these around the house - and I LOVE THEM - and it's a good thing I tell ya ;-)  I'm gonna have to love them for a loooooong time.

The porch has three pendant lights - and one gooseneck light by the front door - (please pardon our unpainted porch posts.)

 This one is to the left of the front door - which I painted WHITE by the way.  Can you believe it - after all that color searching - I just went with a classic white for my farmhouse door.

 Most of the lights are gooseneck - but the front porch did get these special pendants - a lil' industrial and a LOT "farmhousey" - y'all like my new word - but you follow me, don't ya?

Hope you like them as much as I do.  Of course they come from that wonderful company -

 Barn Light Electric

Have a happy day!

Lots of painting and trimming going on...

...and thankfully - we have been blessed with the best crew.  You know I have found out in this house building phase of our life - just how important somebody's "word" is.  Our friends, Andy Judd - from Judd's Painting and Trim, and his fantastic dad, brother David and friend, Chris - have made this part of the process absolutely painless.  And we are very thankful for their honesty, hard work and their talents.  Here is just a peek at some of their handiwork.

I shared with Andy what I wanted in the office - I came back that afternoon - and TADA - it was done.  It is a simple treatment done with 1X4's and paint.  The color at the top of the wall is Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.  Such a peaceful color - I looooooove it!

 Here are my doors I shared with you - I'm crazy about them - I think they look a lil' "old fashioned."

 This week Andy is working on the stairway - again - I just wanted something very simple - no frufru (is that even a word?) - Anyway, he understood what I meant.  Now, it is not finished yet - still has to be painted and just over look all those "drywall dust footprints".  Those treads give you an idea of the hardwood floor color - oh my - will I ever keep them clean? In my dreams, right.

 Here is the hallway coming off the garage - actually this is one side of the laundry room.  I've chose to put my beadboard up on the wall at a height of 6 ft - to protect those hallway walls from lil' handprints.  Actually this same treatment is used in all the bathrooms as well and that I dearly love.

 Now, this is one end of the kitchen/dining room area.  This is just a primer coat - it will be the same as the laundry room above - which is also a Sherwin Williams paint color called Rainwashed.  On the right side of that beam will be a faux tin ceiling - but let me ask you, what color do you think - white or silver?  I can't decide - all my fixtures are bronze.  Lucky for me - paint sprayers make quick work out of things - so they were kind enough to spray some furniture pieces for me as well.  All I'll have to do is sand and glaze - yeah!

Well, this is where we are.  I appreciate all the kind comments regarding the loss of my FIL.  We sure do miss him - he so wanted to see our home completed and it hard not sharing in the details with him.  But I know he is still happy for us and shining down on us.  After all - he gave us the valley where our future home sits - and we find a peace there like never before.

Have a happy week!

Heaven seems a lil' sweeter...

...now that our precious Poppa is there. 

My dear father-n-law passed away yesterday.  He was at home surrounded by all of us that loved him.  We've been looking  through many pictures today - all of them holding special memories - but none more special than the one above.  My son accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior on December 21, 2009 and my father-n-law, who was a Deacon, asked if he could baptize Casen.  Of course, we wanted him too.  At that time, Glen said,  "I have now seen both my children and all my grandchildren saved - if I left this world tomorrow - that would be o.k."  How lil' did we know that just a few days after Casen's baptism, Glen would be diagnosed with cancer.  He put up an incredible fight.  God did not choose to heal him on earth - but He sure has made him perfect in Heaven. 

We will so miss you Poppa - thank you for the example you set and for the love you shared.

I'm still here...

...I know it has been forever but I promise there is just reason for not being around much lately.  The house is still progressing - I had told y'all that I would let you all in on everything but boy oh boy - when things start happening - decisions have to be made in a jiffy, don't they?  So we are making decisions - left and right - and praying they are the right ones.  We recently got our garage doors installed - you know how little things happen when you are not at home to oversee everything - like when I ordered these doors without hardware but came home to nice "holes" in the doors.  So I suppose I better like the hardware.  Actually, I do like them, but plain would have been a lil' more in keeping with the house.  Oh well, a minor bump in the road.

 Porch railing is up - still have to place those decorative bands on the columns in the right place and they have yet to be painted but the porch is near finished none the less.

 My interior doors I dearly love - they remind me of the doors we have in our older home now - which is exactly what we wanted.  The trim is going up and I'll share pictures with you when the paint is on and you can see it.

 And of course, the dry wall is all finished and waiting for paint - yippeee - the fun part.

 But the main reason I've not been blogging is that every single spare minute we have - it is spent with my father-n-law.  Oh what a precious man he is - a good hearted, honest, gentle, life-loving, man of God.  I had mentioned to you all when we started building our home that he was battling cancer and what a fight he has put up.  He is now at home with hospice care and we are cherishing each moment we have with him.  We recently got to go to Florida with him which is where this picture was taken - sitting on the boat dock watching the boats come in with their daily catch. Fishing - absolutely one of the favorite things in his life. 

Remember our family as we all battle with our emotions.  And as difficult as this is  - we know God is good and He is in control and we trust in Him and his timing. 

May God bless you all and I wish you much happiness on this day.

It's all about the "S's"...

...the "STONE" that is...which is SOUTHERN Ledge design in the color of SULPHUR SPRINGS...

 ...and the cypress green "SIDING"...

 ...the board and batten "green" (yes, I changed my mind) "SHUTTERS"...

 ...and some textured "SHAKES"...

 ...all put together looks a lil' something...

...like this!!!

We are finally getting there my friends!  It has been a VERY rainy way of it lately - but I will not complain.  We feel tremendously blessed considering the flooding and other weather devastation which has affected so many in our country.  Our hearts are with all of those people who have been so tragically affected.

We still have to get the stone grouted and the porch and railings on, gutters and the exterior lights - but we'll get there.  I'm so excited about my outside lights - they are from Barn Light Electric - and I. LOVE. THEM!!!  They are simple but they fit our farmhouse feel jus' right I think.  I'll show them to you soon.

As you all can see - I still haven't picked a color for my front door but when I do - if it matches one of your suggestions - I'll send you  - yes - another "S" - a big SURPRISE.  I just haven't decided yet - I have to STUDY it a bit longer.

Hope you all enjoyed the pictures - and pretty soon - y'all can help me pick out the fun stuff - the interior paint, the lights, the flooring - SOUNDS like fun to me!

Have a happy and blessed weekend!

Cathy

We have a Winner and a "Sneaky Peek"...

Well, y'all have waited long enough - I give you credit - you all are beyond patient with me - and I love ya for it!  But finally we have a winner for the Spring Giveaway and it is sweet Leisa.  My lil' man drew her name and I'll be sending her package out at the first of the week - So Congrats Leisa and thank you ALL for your kind words.

 

Now - a sneaky peek - "at what?" you say - well, you know that new job I mentioned - See - you can take the girl out of her greenhouse but not the greenhouse out of the girl.  This is my greenhouse away from home I guess you can say and I love it.

 The ribbon cutting on the greenhouse is this Friday - April 29th at 10:30 cst at Central Farmers Supply and I'm so excited.

 Plus anybody who has ever had a shoppe knows - once it is in your blood - you can't ever totally get it out of your system.  Thankfully - my new employers - who are my dear friends and long time supporters - have given me a chance to continue to share my love of  "stuff" with you.  Isn't that exciting!!!!  

 So here is a peek inside the lil' shoppe - it'll be all things garden.

 I will post more pics tomorrow night - 'cause y'all know me - I'm never ready till the very end - that's just me and I suppose that will never change!

Happy Wednesday!

Cathy

Spring Time Giveaway...

...especially for one of YOU!  Yes, a lil' late on my giveaway but never fear - I'm still here.  Y'all forgive me for being M-I-A.  Between a new job ;-) (tell ya more 'bout that later), building a new house, getting one house ready to sell, ball practices - well, ya know - life is jus' a bit busy! 

But I did squeeze in some time to paint a sign for somebody special and I hope one of you will like it.  It'll be nice by your back door or maybe on your garden shed.

 I've also got you a cute necklace with a great saying - "DIG IN THE DIRT" - y'all know how I love to do that...

 ...and it has a sweet picture of garden tools on the back...

 ...and last but not least - those WAY COOL metal tags I showed you a couple of posts back.  Tags for - well... - for you to do with whatever you please. 

I simply wanted to share a lil' spring cheer with you.  I hope you'll enjoy tossing your name in for a chance to win - just leave me a comment and of course, follow me on my journey if you'd like.

I'm wishing you all a simply beautiful spring!

Cathy

P.S. - I've got more "house pics" to show you next - we've gone green - well, the house has anyway!