Can I still get into Heaven if I can't make biscuits?

Being in this small cottage

(and i do mean small - 500 sf give or take an inch)

 has made me want to break out the cross-stitch, actually cook from scratch....even putter around in the garden here

they even have a grape vine arch welcoming you in - how could you NOT want to go in there??

It also prompted me to pick up that book

"My so-called life as a Proverbs 31 wife".

Well. 

Knowing that tropical storm Beryl was coming actually made me grab some reading material in case we were stranded without power for a few days, but the cottage, and being on my honeymoon and all, made me pick this book in particular.

I stood in the Walmart 

(side note, why does everyone say "the walmart" and "the Kroger" here - and most of the time in plural? At home it's "i'm going to Walmart' - here it's "I'm going to the Walmarts".  Weird, yet charming all at once.

 staring at this book with all kinds of preconceived notions

(see - another charming thing about being here, you don't "have ideas" - you "get notions" or "half a mind".  As in "I have half a mind to give you a swat right here in line at the Walmarts." said from a very agitated parent to a child who was mid-meltdown in the cashier line when i was buying this book.

I was intrigued - i mean who doesn't want to be a better wife? I certainly do.  

But 

I am not a stay at home mom.

I am not usually the one cooking.

Or buying groceries.

I definitely do NOT mend clothes - i don't even hem my own slacks.

I am a looooooooong way from Proverbs 31.

I wasn't really sure it was relevant to me, or my life.

And it kind of made me sad that I wasn't such a person.

And then mad - this woman doesn't even exist in real life!!

Oh - wait- yes she does - they're all over Maitland - these stay at home, play tennis after dropping the kids at school, look fabulous all the time moms. 

Jealousy hit me like a ton of bricks.

So now i've gone from being sad to mad to jealous all in 15 minutes standing in the Walmarts staring at a book title!!!

I may not need this book as much as i need to start spending some time talkin to Jesus more. Get a grip girl.

I bought the book.

And I read it in a day while the man was fishing his little heart out.

She was me.

She works.

She is not the chef in the house.

And she struggles with all of it just like I do.

I feel a lot more validated that my choice to work isn't a bad choice, or a wrong choice.

It doesn't make me less of a christian wife or mother.

In fact, the Proverbs 31 wife worked too (I honestly didn't know that until I read the book!)

Such a great read from a very entertaining, honest writer.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some biscuits and gravy to make for a very sleepy man.

OK, really i have some cheerios to throw in a bowl and hope the milk isn't spoiled - but let's just go with it.

 

Linking to the girls at The Picket Fence

 

 

Can you check to see if we're really married??

Tomorrow we leave on our honeymoon.

 

I know.

We've been married almost 2 years and we're just now taking a honeymoon. 

You know what's even funnier?

We think we might not even be married.

I am not kidding.

So...we might have to get married all over again on our honeymoon that's 2 years overdue.

It seems that our officiant filed the wrong copy of the marriage certificate thing (if he even filed it all).

So...either congratulate me when i come back OR ask me how our honeymoon was, or both.

But - small paperwork issues aside - I am so ready for this....the dock at the house we rented.  with a boat.  and crab traps.

 

and to go to Uncle Bubba's for dinner and sit outside here...

 

...with this as my view (yes, it is this beautiful in real life - this was at sunset, the day after we got married...well the first time anyway)

 

I'm ready to indulge in this....

 

and do a little house shopping.

(yes, i'm taking the camera) 

 

Getting by with a little help from my friends.

As much as i would love to think I am creative enough 

to decorate a home,

I am not.

I was having a very hard time getting my act together.

This house has some spaces that are just slaying me.

Nothing works.

I see something online, on Pinterest, or in blogland

and i think....AHA! 

That's it!!

and then...i do it...or buy it...and it's...

not.it.

I like it all.

I can't buy it all.

Although i am trying, and you see how THAT'S working out.

So - in a moment of weakness, i reached out and asked for help.

I know.

Who am I??

But her home is lovely, and she makes it work beautifully with a mix of color, accessories, antiques and new pieces.

And really, this is what i need.

So here is what I asked her to help me with and she was sweet enough to say she'd take a look and offer some input.

Oh, to have a plan... 
:)

 Linking to 

Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence

The Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

My mother is coming to visit - you know what that means....

It's a mad dash to:

get groceries

clean the house

REALLY clean the house.

touch up/finish up those little bitty remnants of projects that just kind of got ignored and then ultimately faded into the landscape of crap around here.

organize our dresser drawers

because....she does laundry (thanks Mom!) while she's here

and i have to hear her ask a million times why these boys' drawers are such a mess.

sigh.

I'm running out of time.

I still wanted to buy some cute little vintage cupcake flags 

for some petite fours.

I actually wanted to MAKE petite fours.

That ain't happening.

I wanted to get some cute vintage wrapping paper for her gifts.

I wanted to BUY gifts.

Need to do that tomorrow.

I did do ONE thing today.

I cleaned my floors. 

And realized my grout is gross.

So....i am working on that in between laundry loads today.

Fun times in the project.

I got an email the other day asking me if I really used just a handful of products.

Yep, I do.

Shaklee is the bomb for solving cleaning product clutter.

I'll leave you with these - and i promise - i'm doing the REST of the floors.  

Not just stopping here and admiring my work.

Although a nice glass of lemonade and sitting in the sun 

is very appealing right now.

So...the bottom has been cleaned and the top and sides are what it looked like before.

No bleach.

No Tile and Grout whatever crap.

Nooooo toxins. No fumes.  No gas mask required.

Just this :)  

A scoop of Shaklee Nature Bright mixed with water 

in a VERY expensive mustard squeezee thing

from the dollar store. 

(and at that i still felt ripped off)

 

 

Did i scrub with that brush very hard?

Nope.

Just brushed it over the line and let it sit for a minute.

No huffing or puffing or aerobic activity really.

Which...is a shame because I'm seriously over running in the Florida heat for a workout.

 

I am still amazed that people don't know about this stuff.

Another thing I love about the south...

Cotillion Season.

I am beyond excited.

Their grandmother is beyond excited.

The boys....not so much.

There was a lot of

"Mom - I am NOT doing this!"

and from the other one...

"This is totally stupid MOTHER"

even from the man...

 "They STILL do this in this day and age??"

Yes.  

No it isn't.

Of course.

So, bring on the lessons in manners, the formal dance training, and the khaki slacks, navy blazers and ties....momma is ready!