Lots On My Mind

First, I have decided to take the plunge and tackle one of the things on my "bucket list" now...well, not now, as in right this minute but now as in sometime this week. I went and bought a book on how to quilt and since I already had some squares that I bought on Ebay, I think I'm going to make a throw for my youngest. She's pretty forgiving if things don't turn out perfect, and she's kinda outgrown her "barney".

Her "barney" is a toddler sized comforter with Barney on it that is well-worn and well-loved. When she was very little, "My barney" referred to the actual blanket, not who was on it. The color purple was also "barney", as were purple paint chips in the store. We used to find them everywhere in our house because every time we went to a store that had paint, she wanted some "barneys".

The youngest loves the size of her "barney", but has outgrown the material. Barney just isn't cool for an 11 year old. So, I think it's time for something new and comfy and definitely more cool. ;) The squares that I have are bright oranges and pinks and greens, very girly and very cute! Nothing fancy for the first one, despite the wild ideas I got from going through the book, a simple square pattern. I will post a pic when I get it done.

My other endeavor this next week is to paint my living room and dining room. I'm going to try doing something with texture to cover the major imperfections, and try to save some money. I'll definitely post pics of the progress on this huge project! My mom gave me 5 gallons of a tan-beige-sandy type color, which will really brighten up the room. It's a dark wood paneling now, and since we keep the curtains drawn to cut down on the heating/cooling bill, it can use some lightening up! The hubby will be gone, so it's the perfect time to do this.

Now something fun....tea. I forgot how much I love tea. Here in the South we usually have our tea iced and in a glass, but I like mine hot and in a mug also. My mother-in-law and I had tea over the Christmas holidays and it was a wonderful experience. I got my grandmother's tea pot out of the china hutch and we had "High Tea" even though with all of the events of the day it was almost supper time. We had Biscotti that Mom brought to share and discussed all kinds of topics like faith, family, and travel. It was a great way to unwind from the activities of the day/season and really made me appreciate our relationship again.

I gave my youngest a porcelain tea set that I found on sale at a local book store. It came with rhymes and poems about tea. One in particular I really enjoyed.

A Cup of Tea

When the world is all at odds

And the mind is all at sea

Then cease the useless tedium

And brew a cup of tea.

There is magic in its fragrance,

There is solace in its taste;

And the laden moments vanish

Somehow into space.

And the world becomes a lovely thing!

There's beauty as you'll see;

All because you briefly stopped

To brew a cup of tea.

-Traditional

Isn't that a lovely sentiment that there is peace and solace lying at the bottom of a tea cup?

The final topic for now is how blessed I feel in my life. I have been thinking about this a lot lately. We have our problems just like any normal family. Money is always a concern, but we always manage to find a way through to the tunnel, and so far the light wasn't attached to a train. ;) I have a wonderful loving husband, and the fact that he loves me so much makes up for the little things that tend to get under my skin. I have great children. We have a small place out in the country, where we can find peace and quiet. Through it all, I have been truly blessed!

Happy New Year, everyone! May you all find your own kind of peace this year!