The Downtown Farmhouse

Recently as we were getting ready for church, Jack came into the bathroom. He wanted to do his usual morning rituals and rummage through my makeup drawer and name off everything one by one.

He tries to run away with my toothbrush.

He pulls out hair products and maybe finds a few unmentionables little boys shouldn’t find.

Today he wanted to shave. What little boy doesn’t like to pretend to shave with Pappas electric shaver?

The memories took over as I watched my husband “pretend “shave with my grandson.

My Dad used to “pretend” shave with Kyle. I closed my eyes and I swore I could smell his aftershave. He wore the same smell for as long as I can remember. The longer he’s gone, the harder it is to remember sounds and smells. I don’t want to forget, but time is the stealer of things.

As the new baby time approaches, it’s hard not to want to remember when Jack was a baby. Facebook allows those memories to not be far from the surface.

We are excited to start this all over again. The front porch swing is all ready.

Time will continue to move forward and as we get older, it seems to move faster and faster.

I try so hard not to forget. I want to relish in the happy times and learn and grow from the not so happy.

The memory of Dad (Papa PeeWee) singing to Jack as a infant makes me smile. I wish that Jack and all other grand babies would have known him. Photos and pictures will keep his memory alive. Enjoy his rendition of Old MacDonald had a Farm.

As we move through the days, the weeks, the months and the years at lightning speed, live your days to the fullest.

Don’t wait to make amends

Don’t wait to say I’m sorry

Don’t wait to say I love you

Don’t wait to invite people over. No one cares if your house is clean or dirty. For goodness sakes, most of the time I don’t allow people in and they have to party at the pool.

Don’t wait to go on that trip even if your budget only allows for a staycation. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do it.

Make memories. Love your people.

Happy Saturday friends!

I picked up a really ugly, dog chewed and neglected Ethan Allen table at the thrift store. It’s bones were incredible and I knew it could be made beautiful

First up was to repair the bad places.

It was a downward spiral from there. Each piece that was removed made way for another bad place and then another.

A pretty coat of white paint always helps

I added some farmhouse flair

It went up for sale, even though I really wanted it. It was too large for my living room or I would have kept it.

This morning at church, I was approached by a friend. He mentioned he had noticed the table on Facebook marketplace and that he might be interested in taking it off my hands.

I was ecstatic and we planned a meet this afternoon.

He showed up punctually and Steve helped us load it in his truck.

We chatted for a little bit.

He recently lost his wife to cancer. She was a Godly, wonderful woman and we all feel the void she left behind.

We spoke of church and friends that we miss. We share some triumphs and some sadness recently endured.

He then shared the love story of he and his wife.

Many years ago he spotted her across a dance floor and was instantly mesmerized. He needs to know who she is.

Another day, he is at a college dorm and to his surprise, she is on the third floor and his friend speaks to her.

“You know her?”

His friends replies “yes, we went to high school together.”

I need to know her.

Please introduce us.

A few weeks later they were engaged.

One month later he was drafted.

A few months later, he was home on leave and they were married.

49 years they were married before she changed her address to heaven.

The loneliness is debilitating and life will never be the same.

One learns to live alone but it is never easy.

One learns to cook for himself because he has no choice.

A love story like theirs deserves an audience. It’s deserves to be shared and even though she is no longer on earth to add to the conversation does not make it any less important.

Don’t forget to speak to our friends who have had a loss. It heals the heart to speak of the love they shared for so long.

Don’t forget to invite them to dinner. Not because you feel sorry for them but because their company fills your home with joy.

Don’t forget to hug. Body contact is like a life line.

Thank you sweet friend for adding one of my projects to your home and for allowing me to share a piece of your story.

My heart is full

There’s nothing like the “nesting phase” of an 8 month pregnant woman.

We have been working on Jack’s Big Boy room at a snails pace.

No rush right?

He’s still in a crib.

The new baby will stay with Mommy and Daddy for a few months.

Snails pace.

Easy

Slow and steady

Until…….

Can we hang some pictures in Jack’s Big Boy Room?

Where are the sheets for Jack’s bed?

And then I get to thinking about all the things I wanted done.

First up?

His dresser

What he had was fine but not great

I could have fixed the handles and worked on the sticky drawers but I really had something else in mind.

His new room is Americana theme. What’s more American than fire trucks?

However I didn’t really want just flags and such. I wanted unique.

I pulled the drawers out and fixed what was wonky. I removed some weird little decorative things. They have no business in a little boys room.

Filled in all the holes and painted the shell white.

From the beginning I thought I would paint his dresser blue.

Red bed

Blue dresser

Etc.

Etc.

Then I pulled out the already purchased blue rug.

I was terrified that the blues would clash. I had purchased this rug months and months ago and there was turning back.

I had never boarded the ombré/gradient paint train but I’m usually far behind trends anyway.

One of these blues will match right?

I matched the knobs to some hand rails on his new fire truck bed. Pictures soon to come!

I know you are sick of hearing how hot it is. But dang, it’s hot in this garage.

However I’m not stopping. I’m on a roll and a new baby will be arriving in less than a month.

Have a great Tuesday!

One day, we picked up a cabinet.

It was large and it had a top and a bottom piece. I knew 100% it would fit upstairs between the two windows and would be the PERFECT bookcase.

We have voracious readers who live upstairs and a bookshelf would be a welcome addition to their space.

It would be the exact size and I already had plans roaming around my head. It would be painted and the backs of the shelves would have glass and I would make the glass look old using a treatment I had read about on Pinterest and so on and so on and so on.

The words in my head ramble just like they ramble on this page

Guess what?

It didn’t fit.

Dang it! Now what do I do with this huge piece of furniture that I no longer have a place for?

I still demo’d both pieces. I collected all the knobs and screws and bolts. Does anyone else lose pieces?

Me?

Every

Single

Time

It was a beautiful shade of honey oak. Not bad but definitely not the look I was going for.

I began to prime both pieces.

And then I had a moment.

A moment when I said to myself, “Self, why do you need both pieces? I bet, if you made an entertainment/buffet cabinet look super cute, maybe you could sell it.”

Plan B included:

Making a new top

Trimming out the new top

Staining the new top and trim

Painting and sealing the bottom of the cabinet

Painting the hardware

Finding out how to put it all back together.

I might have asked for help. Those funky little laches trip me up all the time.

A cute guy helped me.

But look!

She’s gorgeous.

She turned out beautiful and now my beautiful friend has a little part of me in her dining room.

I love it when someone I know buys one of my pieces.

I asked if she would share how she decorated it and it is so lovely.

On to the next project.

Just wait, it’s a doozy.

We installed security cameras last weekend. We have wanted them for a long time and finally pulled the trigger.

They allow for a little piece of mind.

Each and every day, I watch as the men in our home leave for work. They are punctual and professional. They are not always excited to go but they are wonderful providers for our home.

One morning last week, Courtney and I were talking. We spoke of the appreciation we have for our husbands. We spoke of how we never want to take advantage of being able to stay home and provide the necessary things needed for a home including peace and tranquility.

Thank you to the heads of our home. We appreciate you more than words could ever say. We hope as you walk through the doors at the end of a long day that you feel true love and comfort we try and provide to you.

No matter your job. You might be the provider of money, you might be caring for children, you might be caring for a parent, you might be a volunteer.

Everyone and I mean everyone needs encouragement. It might come in different ways and it probably isn’t everyday but let people in your life know you see them.

I ran into a friend and her daughter at the splash pad. It was a quick hug and a “so good to see you” moment. We were on our our way home and they were just joining in on the fun. Later in the day, I received a text. It said

“It was good to see you today!! You’re such a great BB!”

Oh my word.

Do you know what that means? I’ll tell you what it doesn’t mean

It doesn’t mean that I would be any different if I wasn’t noticed.

It doesn’t mean that I will perform in front of people to be watched.

It does mean that my actions towards the sweetest little boy is visible.

It means that the way my heart feels is noticed on my face.

Thank you for the encouragement sweet friend. I can be a fill in BB for your little people anytime!

Do you receive thank you notes?

Do you write thank you notes?

I’m horrible at writing notes but this weekend I received one. It spoke of thankfulness and filling a need. The best was when the words of doing life together jumped off the page. It’s about a last minute swim dates and swatting a wasp from the ceiling. It’s about giant hugs from little girls. It’s about secret dates in the Hideout.

Life is full of opportunities for encouragement.

Last night we attended a retirement party for our brother in law. A man entered the room. I knew immediately who he was. I watched as his mannerisms were the same as they were in 1976 when he was my 5th grade PE teacher. My favorite Coach EVER.

About an hour later. I got my nerve up, knowing he wouldn’t know who I was and approached him. I needed to at least hug him and tell him how good it was to see him. As I approached, he looked at me and said “Charma Locke!”

What! You remember me?

How could I forget that smile? Words of encouragement that went all the way to my soul. He didn’t remember me for my sassy behavior. He didn’t remember because I was a rotten kid. He remembered because I smiled. Thanks Coach

Don’t forget to stop even for just a moment and speak kindness.

Speak encouragement.

You never know who needs it today. It might be the person you love and spend your days with. It might be the stranger in the grocery store.

Just smile.

It might be the only thing you have to give that very day and it might be exactly what they need.

Friday nights are usually spent close to home. Sometimes there is a date night which might include dinner and a movie but after a long week of work and what nots, a quiet evening at home is usually the best option. Last night was no exception, it was to include some late day swimming with the cutest of little boy and dinner on the grill.

A late afternoon text message added a sweet family to our evening. I love impromptu gatherings!! Nothing special……just some swimming and BTOC (bring your own chicken) for the grill.

The evening included blackberry picking with the cutest of littles. Saving some for the larger people was definitely a challenge.

These pictures make me smile. This is what life is all about.

As we prepared for dinner, the clouds rolled in. The dark, booming, thunderous clouds. A snap decision to bring dinner inside was made and we rustled up food and kids and headed to the dining room table inside.

Thanks goodness we have a big table. There is nothing better than filling your home with people of all sizes and enjoying a meal.

That is, until a not so friendly wasp crashes the party.

One man with a broom.

Another man with a towel.

A man with a paper towel

And finally a very pregnant woman with a kid sized shovel and a lot of laughs

Thank you friends for your company.

Thank you friends for having zero expectations on a Friday night.

Thank you friends for the laughs and for being part of our lives.

Here’s to many more random swimming dates!

Jack and I spend most Friday’s together. It’s not usually a big deal. Sometimes we take a walk. Sometimes we swim, sometimes we blow bubbles. You just never know.

Today, we walked to the downtown splash pad. Jack is not always confident when we get there so BB will always wear shoes and clothes that can get wet. This morning there were a lot of other kids and he ventured into the water alone.

He watches the bigger kids and already wants to be like them. He races to the button to turn the water on and has to learn to wait his turn. Teaching two isn’t for the faint of heart. Every kid wants to push the button and little hearts get hurt when they can’t do it every time. However when they are not two, they will never get to do it every time so start teaching it now.

I have a vegetable garden. It’s not very big but I get a kick out of watching things grow from a seed, to a plant, to a flower, to a vegetable or fruit and then to the table. It’s not hard. It’s a little tedious fighting the never ending weeds but the outcome is worth it.

However one day, in the near future, we can pick this watermelon together. We will cut it, and serve it to the family. What an honor to teach this two where food comes from and that we grew it from a seed into what it is today. He might not get it, but one day he will.

I love teaching two and watching their little brains absorb knowledge and how he gets excited to go to the garden every day or so. They are such little sponges and J can’t wait until the new baby comes to join our little garden school.

Have a wonderful weekend friends. The heat index is going to be around 107 this weekend.

I think we will stay close to the pool.

It’s 2:01

I’ve tossed and turned

I’ve perused the internet and read every blog I can think of.

I’ve gotten up to use the restroom

I’ve refilled my water

I’ve daydreamed and planned

What in the world?

Finally I let my mind slow down to the last couple of days……

Yesterday we celebrated Father’s Day. Our house was full and so were our bellies. Why does every holiday include a glutenous amount of food? We will be relishing in the leftovers for days. My heart overflows when the fab four are all together.

This picture is old but as I looked through photos, most are Jack because he has encompassed our lives in a way I can’t describe, but these 4, we are the core.

I love these people and that dress is leaving my closet!

💜

The sweetest soul came up to me on Sunday morning with tears streaming. We embraced and I was concerned. I touched her and asked what was wrong. Expecting to hear sad news, she replied “people are so kind to me and I can’t get used to it.” Her beautiful heart has been wounded in her past life and now as she radiates Jesus love, she finally is being shown how beautiful she really is. You know who you are…….and I love you.

❤️

A sweet sweet friend and her family are in the midst of illness. A surgery. A lengthy hospital stay. Small children. Jobs. Life is hard enough and then you throw complications in the mix. We chatted via text tonight.

We talked about how hard it is to see ones we love suffer but through it all it has made her marriage stronger.

This woman, who is so tired and just wants “normal” back speaks of God directing our paths and if we would just surrender and trust. Jesus says “I am holding you.” My timing is perfect

Every

Single

Time

I’m getting that string cheese sweet girl and I’ll see you tomorrow.

💙

Jack and I took a walk and ran into one of the neighbors.

She came out of her door holding a piece of paper. It was handwritten and had been copied many times. She proceeded to share that she had to put her Mom in a nursing home because she was unable to care for her due to her illness. She added that her mothers monthly expenses for her care were costing more than her monthly income and would we participate in a street porch sale. Sure! I’m positive I can come up with some stuff. Have you seen our garages? As she continued speaking, she said that 5 houses on our little street, that’s all of them, will be participating. That’s the kind of neighborhood I want to live in. Where the neighbors pool together and help each other out. When you walk by their house and they call you by name. Even little Jack can call them by name and will gladly share his snacks.

💚

Courtney and I sat on the couch together. I watched as her large belly moved and stretched. It will never ever ever get old watching the miracle of life. I placed my hand and I was kicked. I felt as that little life tossed and turned and I was in awe. Our new grand baby will arrive in August and we are in love already. I’ve complained the entire time about not knowing the gender but as the time approaches, it’s rather exciting to know that a sweet surprise is coming. We’ve been placing our bets in the date!

Our world, it’s a scary place sometimes and it could be easy to hide in our cocoons. I believe so many people are. But look at what you miss when you don’t talk to people. When you don’t immerse yourselves in people. Stretch your arms out and I bet you will be surprised what enters in.

Still not sleepy but I’m gonna try.

Be blessed my friends.

Update: I got a couple of hours on the couch in between Grey’s Anatomy episodes. Coffee will definitely be my friend today. Have a great day!

What do you call your Father?

Father

Dad

Daddy

Pops

Or something in between

You might be in close proximity to your dad or you may be across the country or across the world.

My Dad lives in heaven. He changed his address 533 days ago. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. I might see something and it will spark joy. This was my find today.

It was his Fire department name badge. It’s an old one because this was his Engineer badge and he retired as a Lieutenant. I’ll be wearing this to church tomorrow so that in a way, a piece of Dad will be with me on Father’s Day.

This is one of my favorite pictures. Not because we are all dressed up and heading somewhere fancy. But because we are in our element. Dirty clothes and working on something.

On this 533rd day since you moved, I still miss you. I still miss your laugh. I still drink out of your Gatorade bottle in the garage because I swear your DNA is still on it.

I’ll meet you at the gate.

Love, Baby girl

Happy Father’s Day to my kids daddy.

The almond to my joy

The milk to my cookie

The hammer to my nails

The pillowcase to my sheets

Papa is the best name for you. I watch you care and love on Jack and you glow.

It’s not the things you buy but the time you spend.

He loves you so much.

This family……

We love our Dads, our future Dads, the people who love Dads

And if you are missing your dad today and any other day, know that without a shadow of doubt you are not alone.

Happy Daddy’s Day to all the Daddy’s.

The statement “people don’t do this anymore” was spoken a few weeks ago while we sat around the pool on a Saturday evening dangling our feet in the water.

Huh? was my first thought?

People don’t do what?

Swim?

Talk?

Eat?

I have had that statement rattling around in my head now for weeks.

In the last 3 months, we have had friends over every other weekend. Sometimes to swim, sometimes to eat, sometimes to play board games or last night, dice!

When we decided to stop attending our church, we left a a lot of friends. Just because you don’t attend the same church building doesn’t mean your friendship has to go away. Right?

I was honestly terrified of losing friends that we have had for years! We spoke often as to how we would not let that happen and intentionality is the name of the game.

You must, and I repeat, you MUST be intentional. Ask the people…….they will come.

I’ve learned the hard way, it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Everyone wants to help. They will bring snacks to share.

I promise.

Your house doesn’t have to be perfect.

We use the table in the pool house.

Why would we sit outside when it’s 100 degrees?

Because we have a 2 year old that goes to bed early and our games get heated and loud.

People stand because it’s hot and the benches hurt your butt. It was loud. It was hot.

And guess who won? Mom!!

But you know what? It was so much fun. Filling your life with people is what it’s all about. Being vulnerable and asking people to come over. Our house was a mess and the pie was lumpy. Some brought watermelon and some brought Chex mix in a ziploc bag.

It was an incredible night of laughter and stray kittens.

So I will have to rebuke the statement “people don’t do this anymore” because we do and will continue opening our home. Inviting new friends and old friends, sassy friends and quiet friends, couple and singles, young and not so old friends.

It’s what we do.

My love tank is full.