Anson's Room Update

Last year one of the first projects in our new house was Anson's room. Well, this year mom wanted to finish it a little more since I hadn't gotten around to doing any of her suggestions. :) She added a sky/sunrise to the border.






My dad and I made these awesome shelves out of birch branches and scrap wood.

Mom's pride and joy. This is what she's REALLY wanted to do since we moved in. So she did. I love my birch trees. I think I may have driven her (and my dad) slightly crazy by making them go back IN the woods to cut one even though we have tons surrounding the house. I just didn't want one of my trees gone, I might notice. :)

A rack from one of Jerem's "smaller" bucks makes a perfect curtain tieback.

I'm pretty sure his room is any boy's dream. That is if it's a boy that can't wait to hunt and loves being outside. Great job mom...THANKS!!!

A side note, I'm even more excited about this than the room. My parents brought up a piano with them!!!! SO EXCITED! I've wanted one for years but never had the space in the trailer to consider it. I'm so thankful for parents that have a desire to pass on special things like a love for music.

After a 3 year break we were once again able to get away for our anniversary. A big thanks to everyone for helping with the kids to make this possible. I don't know what it is about 3 kids that makes it so much harder to leave, but we have found it is hard!
The Inn at Maple Crossing was recommended to me by my friend Kara and after looking at pictures I knew it would be the perfect place. I didn't want the typical hotel with the distractions of TV, I wanted US time! The owners bought this place about 20 years ago shortly before it was scheduled to be used in a practice burn for the local FD. They renovated it, keeping the historic aspect of the hotel it once was. In the 16 years they've been opened the prices haven't changed.





This was our room. That little door to the left goes out to a private balcony (we were on the 3rd floor). The first night we were there was clear with a full moon so I wrapped up in a blanket (jerems tough) and we sat out there and enjoyed the lake and each other's company.

This was a typical bed and breakfast place, with breakfast served promptly at 9. Coffee was ready at 7:30 and Jerem was by the pot waiting! :) The first morning we had baked grapefruit which we loved and a Italian cheese/egg casserole, bran muffin, and bacon. The second morning was a baked apple, stuffed waffle, and ham.

I mentioned no T.V. right? :) We spent quite a bit of time in here playing cribbage. Jerem won all but once, and the only reason I won that time was he forgot which way his pins were going and started going the other way 3/4's the way through. I didn't want to embarrass him so I didn't point it out.

This is us up on our balcony. The other picture my smile looked terribly fake, so I opted for one where I wasn't smiling, but I WAS enjoying myself.

We enjoyed a lot of good conversation, the type that rarely happens when you're in the midst of parenting and life. We also started reading through a book I had gotten called Growing a Spiritually Strong Family. We both highly recommend this to anyone looking for some good tips on parenting and marriage. We found we are definitely on the right track with most of it but there were some good points of things we haven't considered or have been convicted to do. The entire weekend was wonderful and refreshing, just what we needed!

Tiny Prints

I found a new (well new to me) place to try for Christmas cards this year. Tiny Prints. I’m a sucker for the “blog and get 50 free cards” deal. After looking around their site I have to say I’m very excited to see what kind of card I’ll design this year.

I like the colors and size of this one, very “festive”

And the idea of being able to hang the card is super cool I think! We use the standard tape on an empty cupboard/wall display.

I liked the vintage look of this one, and the ability to use more than one picture, which is always nice.

Having the picture in the background really grabbed me too. Here’s the site again in case you missed it before, if you haven’t ordered your cards already check it out! (I’m not one of those people that are so on top of things I have my cards ready to mail by Thanksgiving.)  http://www.tinyprints.com/shop/picture-christmas-cards.htm

Who’s Counting?

9 years. 468 weeks. 3276 days. Three thousand, two hundred, seventy-six days of what? Why, of getting to know my husband better of course! That’s right, today is our 9 year anniversary. I know for all you that have been married FOREVER, 9 years is nothing, just a drop in the bucket. But, like every anniversary no matter how many years it’s just as worth celebrating.

You know how people say, “I’m more in love today than the day we married”? So true! I think in a slightly different way obviously. On your wedding day you can’t imagine loving your spouse any more, then as those days go by the love develops into something much deeper than you could ever anticipate.

When I look at Jerem now it kind of blows my mind to see the man he’s become.I mean, when we were dating I thought he couldn’t get any better, boy was I wrong. He has applied himself to his schooling for the last 8 years in the midst of pregnancies, babies, and raising a family. He has become the spiritual leader I always desired to find in a husband. He always was one I feel but as our family grows so does his desire to lead and teach according to the Lord’s will. I could go on and on, but I realize these things that are special to me might get boring for you to read.

I remember being challenged as a girl of about 12 to start praying for my husband. I took it to heart and prayed every day. I remember praying that if he didn’t know the Lord as his Savior that he would see his need and get saved. I remember praying for his safety. You know what still amazes me to this day? Jerem moved up here when I would have been 12. He came kicking and screaming and wasn’t happy about it, but he came. That move I believe changed his life forever. The path he was on in Rochester was going from bad to worse, one of his buddy’s ended up in jail after he moved. He had some very concerned and loving relatives up here that saw the need and opened their homes. Something for which I (and him) will be forever grateful. I have no doubt that my prayers as a 12 year old girl opened doors that made the move happen, and consequently his salvation and then coming to camp to counsel. (Which of course is where we met.)

I have so many little stories from when we met that reinforced the Lord’s working and leading in our relationship before it was even a relationship, but this is getting long and I’m sure you’re all wondering if I’m ever going to shut up. So I’ll save those stories for next year.

I love you Jerem, so thankful for the last 3276 days with you and I looks forward to tens of thousands more.